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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191788">I Just Want to Be With You Tonight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifecollar/pseuds/knifecollar'>knifecollar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BDSM Scene, Biting, Come Eating, Dirty Talk, Facials, Graves knew Credence, Kink Exploration, M/M, Monsterfucking, Orgasm Control, PWP? I don't know her, Partially Clothed Sex, Post-Grindle fallout, Praise Kink, Sexual Experimentation, Spanking, Switching, Trans Male Character, Trans character written by trans author, Vulnerability, Wish Fulfillment, house arrest, only a little, technically it's Graves/OMC but the OMC is playing Credence, which is my kink so get used to it, yes I know this is a mishmash of mythology but I am committed to my bullshit at this point</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:47:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,484</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifecollar/pseuds/knifecollar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>So, let's recall Ezra's 2019 Met Gala look. It reminded me of a mythical creature I've had a boner for since I was a teenage weeb: jorogumo! It's a shapeshifting spider yokai that fucks and eats people. Anyway, I felt compelled to write some weird monsterfucker shit, so here ya go! Graves fucks a spider yokai that looks like Credence.</p><p>Also, I started this literally the day of the Met Gala, but it actually ended up being very fitting WRT quarantines somehow.</p><p>Ch 1 has cis dude Graves, Ch 2 has trans dude Graves. Explanation in the notes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Credence Barebone/Original Percival Graves, Original Percival Graves/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Original</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I got a lot of people who were excited abt trans man Graves in my last fic, and I wasn't planning on this having trans Graves when I started it, but everyone really liked him so I thought I'd bring him back. As a dfab trans person, I do have an issue with dfab trans fic where the trans person is always the bottom however a) Colin Farrell is bottom, I do not make the rules and b) I am dfab+nonbinary and very bottom so those things kinda won out. I have top trans guy stuff in the works, just be aware.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Percival Graves was at the end of his rope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The obscurial incident was ruining his life. Not only was he under suspicion of working with Grindelwald, he also had to question  his relationship with just about every person in his life, since Grindelwald successfully destroyed just about all of them. Grindelwald either fucked his close friends or pretended they didn't exist. His coworkers that weren't useful were reassigned, transferred, or just treated like shit to the point that they stopped caring. Some of his closer coworkers ended up indoctrinated and held loyalty to Grindelwald, so when he escaped, they followed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was a clever man, Percival had to admit. Grindelwald hadn't just thought about the short term- which was kidnapping and tormenting him- but he predicted that he would be caught eventually and made sure that Percival would return to a world where he was completely isolated from everyone he'd ever cared about. His family was embarrassed of him, he couldn't go out in public without people pointing and whispering about him. He used to go out a few times a week, with friends or on dates, but now</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making sure everyone would believe he was a Grindelwald supporter by not physically harming him was one last "fuck you" in a long series of "fuck you"s. After Grindelwald's escape, MACUSA put him on house arrest until the investigation on his involvement was closed. He'd been a few days away from walking out of that hotel forever, but upon Grindelwald's escape, it was requested that he extend his stay. This came directly from Picquery, and was tooth-achingly sugarcoated so as not to offend: a small courtesy afforded him, with respect to his service. In return, he didn't scream at her for being partly responsible for the escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wouldn’t be so bad if he had even one thing to focus on besides the situation at hand, but he wasn't allowed to do any work whatsoever. He was only able to leave the hotel at certain hours, so when he wanted to take a walk after eight, it had to be inside the hotel, which by now he’d seen the entirety of twelve times over, and in the company of at least one of several guards that were posted in the hotel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, he wasn’t even allowed the newspaper, so he had no way of even knowing about what was going on outside his hotel room. One time, he even went all the way to Harlem to try to get a paper, only to find out that every vendor in the state knew about his news blackout and refused to sell him a copy. This even extended to books. He had to put in a request for a book, which was then processed and upon approval a copy was purchased for him (with his own money, of course) and thoroughly searched for any potential security issues. The whole process took two weeks, and with nothing to do he could finish even the thickest tomes in three days. Anything too modern or related to recent events was an automatic denial. His request for a copy of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fantastic Beasts </span>
  </em>
  <span>was denied by the guard he submitted his forms to, they'd all been told he wasn't allowed that book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The worst part was not knowing what had happened to Credence. He had some idea, as Goldstein was happy to tell him all she knew over breakfast about a week after the subway incident, excitedly telling him that she was sure he was alive in Europe. She was the same as she always was, eating her food far too quickly as she shared her plan to take a fake vacation with the hush money she received to make up for Grindelwald's attempt at killing her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you don't want to take a break?" he'd asked after her detailed description of her harrowing experience with the execution chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no," she'd paused briefly for a bite, eyes not moving from her food. "I can't risk losing his trail."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is your sister going with you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She isn't, I'm leaving her money for rent and food, and she's thinking about training to be an auror too," Tina finally looked up, trying to gauge his reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thinking about it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina made an inscrutable face and replied, "Queenie doesn't feel that our experience reflects well on the government."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's right," he'd replied simply. "I'd tell her not to. She can do anything. If she wants to do investigative work, she could be a P.I. If she wants to use her gift she could be a journalist. There's so many options for her, why get involved with the government?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never thought you of all people would say something like that,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembered thinking, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, things change after you get kidnapped and have your face stolen.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "There are cracks, Tina," he'd said, pausing for a drink because he knew she'd need a second to process him calling her by her given name. "The fact that you and a British national could be sentenced to death unilaterally, in mere minutes, with not one person questioning it, reveals that there's true corruption in our government. We should all get out while we can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled with some difficulty, looking wistful. "So you don't think I should just… Go back to work? Instead of chasing Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen to me carefully," he'd scooted in, leaning in close over the table. "Fuck no. Leave MACUSA, go find Credence. And send me updates."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina's smile widened, a real smile this time, "Of course, Percival." She paused a bit before asking, "I can call you that, right? Since you called me Tina?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure not going to be Auror Graves anymore, why not?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They parted with a hug, and he slipped her some money, which she vehemently tried to decline, but he had insisted. "I'm stuck in a hotel, what do I need it for?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina hugged him again, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm gonna find him, I promise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sent him coded postcards, updating him about her paid "vacation" as her search led her around the continent, waiting until she’d already left so as to not give away her location. It worked pretty well. All her letters made it past the interns inspecting his mail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The problem was, she wasn’t finding him. He was getting tired of reading things like, "I still can’t find my lost shawl," or "I haven’t spotted the perfect souvenir for you yet." Looking back, it was probably around letter nine where he moved from concern to obsession, but it was hard to be anything but obsessed with his only access to the wider world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted more: information about sightings, her European contacts, her travel plans… But no. He couldn't ask, and she couldn't disclose without arousing suspicion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her last letter heavily implied that Credence was being kept by Grindelwald. It read, "an extremely unpleasant man took my wallet in Paris. I have a plan to get it back, don’t worry. There are some new friends that are happy to help me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, that was the letter that made MACUSA realize Goldstein was not on a vacation. They put the pieces together after some event where she was caught tracking Credence and they stopped giving him her letters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>President Picquery even stopped by to lecture him about how guilty receiving coded letters about Credence made him look. He even got his own auror assigned to reviewing his mail, which was just as well. Nobody but Tina ever wrote him, anyways, so he was probably being paid handsomely to just toss her letters out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even he was surprised at how much more unbearable it was with no information whatsoever. He was itching to find out something, anything. Percival spent days just wondering what was happening, what led to Tina getting caught, what she was writing to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he got his break: one morning at a restaurant Percival frequented, a man left his paper at the table. He had quickly become a regular since his stint on house arrest, and was hoping that their new hire hadn’t been told about him yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly but carefully, he sat down at the still-messy table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Planning on eating the leftovers? Or just stealing my tip?" A familiar server with her hair tied back in a tight chignon tapped on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt embarrassed, and was more embarrassed when his voice came out sounding like a chastised kid, "sorry, I just wanted the paper."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know that I’m not supposed to let you have it," she spoke quietly, in the firm tone of an experienced elder sister, despite the fact that she was clearly still a teen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t make a move. He felt like a cornered animal. He had to know what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe I didn’t see anything," she said casually. "If you were to leave me a good tip, that is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival took out his wallet and handed the woman some bills. "Noemi, right?" he asked, hardly caring that he was being extorted by an eighteen-year-old.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yep." She quickly pocketed her money then started bussing the table, piling plates high into a seemingly-precarious stack, but he knew well by now that all the servers used charms to stack dishes. "Your usual? Sugar, but no cream, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, thanks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly searched the paper for information, knowing someone may recognize him at any moment. There was nothing about Credence, Grindelwald, Goldstein… Not even the Scamanders or Lestranges made an appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Noemi returned with his coffee, he half-jokingly asked, "is this a decoy paper?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi just looked confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There’s nothing in this paper." He pointed out. "Not even an outlandish blind item."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi's voice lowered. "You didn't know? MACUSA’s blacklisted a lot of what you’re looking for in the papers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The government lives to torment me these days."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s not you, sir." Noemi replied, setting down his full coffee cup, plus a carafe that the servers just knew to bring to him at this point. "Remember how that no-maj princess went missing and a lot of people popped up pretending to be her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Every pale, skinny boy in America is claiming to be Credence Barebone." She stepped closer to the table and shifted her weight to her left leg. "You missed five straight weeks of fake Barebones popping up from Georgia to Washington."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival groaned, resting his face in his hands. Of course something like this would happen: nothing would ever be easy for him, not after he let Grindelwald get the jump on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, he would be paying for this for the rest of his life. He was far from a religious man, but even he had to admit that there seemed to be a correlation between bad luck and bad deeds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi continued to speak, "she had to force them to stop printing anything about him. Total censorship. She's hoping that things will actually calm down if she forces them to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival rested his face in his hands, pressing his palms into his eye sockets. He let a good chunk of silence pass, at least a minute. He’d assumed Noemi had left, but then heard her ask, "do you want me to leave, or…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would you do?" He looked up at her, hovering awkwardly beside him. "If you were going insane with boredom and worry waiting for news that you’re apparently never going to get?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought for a moment, then said, "I was going to make a joke, but I don't think that's what you need. I honestly don't know, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, you’re trying to do your job and I’m being an asshole." He waved her away, needing the distance now that he felt a lump forming in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re not an asshole, you have a lot on your mind." She levitated the plate his sandwich was on from the pickup window. "You know, I think some would turn to religion in your shoes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m not religious,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think a lot of people may not be until they reach a breaking point."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ve been through worse without needing a god."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe you need a goddess." He heard the clink of his plate and watched her pocket his ticket. "Lunch is on me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, let me pay," he replied, figuring she’d certainly earned it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi flashed a smile. "You already did."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So here he was, in a hotel room, preparing to call upon a goddess, with a collection of random objects: cigars, fruit, animal bones, garlic, all laid out on a handmade altar. His expert (well, the Hellenic reconstructionist down the hall who was visiting from Sacramento) told him to be respectful and wear nice clothes, so after his nine p.m. bed check, he dressed in his herringbone suit, with obsidian jewelry and a rust shirt. He even pinned an orange rose and sage to his lapel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His altar was just the bench at the end of his bed covered with a black scarf, but he still surrounded it with black and orange candles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken him a while to work up the nerve to call the goddess Hecate, who he definitely still didn’t believe in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daeira, hipparete, nyktipolos," he called into the empty room. "I call upon you, beseech you…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the hell was he even doing? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was absolutely ridiculous. Even worse than the time he dug through a trash can to look for a newspaper. He just couldn’t handle not being in control. There was something genuinely wrong with him, which most likely required professional help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stood up, turning away from the altar, and crossed his arms. He’d never felt more pathetic in his life. He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tomorrow, he would go to President Picquery. She'd offered to find him someone to talk to when he got back, but he turned it down. Partly out of spite, and partly because he knew whoever he talked to may be instructed to report to Picquery for the sake of the trial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that risk would be worth it, if he could just stop obsessing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They would need advance notice. He could go tell whoever was stationed outside his hotel tonight, hopefully his official handler could bring him to MACUSA, if not then maybe Picquery would come to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival sat up and opened his eyes. He got off his bed and took a few steps before he realized that he was no longer in his hotel room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was dark. There were no features to the place, just… Gray, as far as he could see, with white fog hanging low around his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned, and found his bed was gone as well. Behind him was nothing but a vast charcoal expanse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clear he was in </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> realm, some sort of liminal space. But where was she? Where should he go?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he thought that, a light flickered on in the distance. Dadophoros, the torch-bearer. He walked toward the light, looking around him as he went. There were indistinct noises (maybe whispers?) with seemingly no source. Still, he pushed forward to the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly saw that he was approaching a monument, stairs leading up to a foyer. Ivy-covered, black marble pillars were at the top, what was beyond was obscured in shadow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the steps were a few black dogs, all sleeping. One opened her eyes and looked at him, then tilted her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, he walked up to the dog and patted her head softly, remembering that being kind to dogs was a form of an offering to the goddess. The dog leaned into the touch, and he scratched her behind the ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another dog woke, and he moved to pet that one as well. Now all were staring at him, though they didn't move out of their relaxed positions, simply waiting for their turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cycled through them, making sure each received the specific attention they preferred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first dog got up, and threw her head back, letting out a howl. One after the other four dogs did the same, only for them to suddenly stop. The scent of rose overcame him, and he heard a woman speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Percival Graves." He turned toward the voice to find… Nothing. She wasn't going to show herself</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dropped into a kneel, one knee on the ground which he now realized was soil. Part of him wanted to get up, keep his suit from being stained, but he fought his instinct and stayed kneeling. The first dog came up to him and laid down at his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Great Hecate, thank you for answering my call."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are a curious man," she sounded less than amused, possibly bordering on offended. "I have heard nothing from you for 50 years, yet you call me out of the darkness with a pile of trinkets?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wanted to get your attention," he explained, feeling a bit nervous</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And why did you need my attention so suddenly?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to bring Credence Barebone to me," he tried to speak calmly, not to sound as desperate as he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she replied quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her answer? "I cannot do so."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed further. "But why not?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no obligation to explain it to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t see him even for an hour?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she was curt, but not irritated, so he continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then can you tell me if he's safe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He, like all magical beings, is under my protection." He could tell that if he was able to see her, she would have knitted eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you take me to him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then tell me more, do you visit him? Do you watch over him? How is he?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He is under the care of a loyal follower."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is he doing? Is Grindelwald hurting him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence Barebone is none of your concern." She changed the subject quickly, speaking in an unamused tone, "I would think that you had more important things to ask me for, ones that would be more feasible for me to give you. Like a book you didn't have to submit a request to buy?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would expect that to sound like a joke, since it clearly was one, but she still sounded severe. It was deeply intimidating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just want to talk to him," Percival explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And I have told you already that you cannot have that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you take him a message?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you talk to him, will you just tell him I'm sorry?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," her tone was growing short, clearly she was getting tired of this but he wouldn't stop until he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about Queenie? Queenie Goldstein? Can you just talk to her? I can't send her a letter, but..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No!" The dogs started as her voice raised. "You will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> interfere in any way with Credence, directly or indirectly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I just want to know--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt sharp nails dig into his shoulder, and her voice was right by his ear, hissing quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen to me. You will, under no circumstances, make any further attempt to contact Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why not?" he pressed, mostly because he couldn't help himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you really not accept that maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a deity, know better than </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a human who isn't even allowed to read the news?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did have a point with that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly, so you will not try to find him, nor will you contact anyone associated with him in order to communicate with or influence him. I will handle you </span>
  <em>
    <span>myself</span>
  </em>
  <span> should you do this, do you understand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, ma'am."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"To seal our agreement, I need you to say it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will not interfere with Credence Barebone." Percival looked down at the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good." The hand on his shoulder loosened its grip. "Now, since you have agreed to behave yourself, I will bestow upon you a gift as a compromise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival assumed she was going to explain further, but she fell silent. "Well, what's the gift?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Open your eyes." Her words echoed around his head, and suddenly he realized his eyes </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> closed. He hadn't remembered doing that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When his eyes opened again, he was back in his hotel room, laying on the bed. He sat up quickly, looking around. The items were gone from his altar, and the candles were out, but plumes of smoke rose from their wicks, as though they were just blown out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck!" He threw his boutonniere onto the floor. Of course it would work, he would get to meet an actual goddess and she would just take his offerings without giving him jack shit in return. He felt like quite the chump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compulsively, he ran his hand through his hair, messing up the coif. He'd actually styled it for once, too. Usually these days he didn't bother, since he'd taken up his childhood nervous habit of messing with his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to remove his jewelry: his ring, tie clip, cufflinks, watch… and set them all on his night stand. The clock read almost one. How had an hour already passed? Did time move differently in that liminal space? Or was that his punishment for irritating a goddess?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He startled when a large spider climbed up over the side of his nightstand. It was bigger than a tarantula, but not fuzzy like one. Plus, it had spindly legs with no setae, each over four inches long, and it shone red, orange, blue, like a beetle. It crept over toward the bed, moving confidently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled himself together, trying not to let a bug get him riled up, but it was just so creepy. It was like no spider he'd ever seen, and suddenly he was struck with the thought that it was here for a reason. Was it a bug? Who was listening?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he debated what to do with it, he watched it jump onto the comforter and crawl over the bed. Wait, did it get bigger? It looked bigger than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The spider began to shake, and it was definitely growing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shit, shit!" he shouted, falling back onto the floor in shock. Percival scrambled to the door before he looked back at the spider to find that a humanoid was now seated on the edge of the bed, one with three sets of arms and an array of eyes covering his face. Besides those major differences, it looked like Credence, with the strong jaw, thick black hair on its head and chest, pointing down … Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it had a huge cock! Percival looked away politely, not wanting to stare, but the creature was oddly attractive, the extra arms and eyes weren't detracting from that in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, Percival Graves," he said with a smile. His voice even had the same quiet, measured timbre as Credence's.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you…" he paused  "Did Hecate send you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, she felt this would be a compromise." He smiled, and it felt deeply strange in a way Percival couldn't describe. "You can say what you want to say to me instead of him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What… What are you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A magical being, obviously. Same as an elf or a veela," he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I meant how do you look like Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can shapeshift."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you met him? Did she show you a photo or something?" The resemblance was uncanny, down to the scars on all six of his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have not met Credence, and do not know where he is located. You should refrain from asking further questions in that vein," he replied, though he didn't elaborate further. Percival guessed that it meant Hecate would be listening, or that he would be instructed to report back to her. Percival found himself staring at this Credence's nipples, which were very distracting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you put on some clothes, please?" Percival couldn't disguise his discomfort, he just hoped that he'd understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry." He summoned a robe, with particularly wide sleeves to accommodate his extra arms, then tied a sash around his waist and sat back down on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in complete silence. Percival felt offended that she would just send someone to humor him, listen to his worries, and give him some false closure, when the only thing he wanted was to know how Credence was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd never stopped to consider how obsessive he was being, how much this was controlling his life. Suddenly, Percival experienced an internal epiphany, like he was snapping out of a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In that moment he felt absolutely ridiculous and let out a long breath before saying, "you can just… Just leave." He sat down on his makeshift altar in defeat. "She proved her point, you don't need to waste more time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What point?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That this whole thing was absolutely ridiculous." He let himself chuckle, rubbing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is that?" The man, creature, thing asked, tilting his head curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know." Percival waved his hand, a vague gesture he hoped came across.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Explain it to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Me talking to him right now is basically the same as me talking to you- he's a completely different person than I think, with a whole life without me. It wouldn't help either of us to speak."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wouldn't?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was already silly for me to grow so attached to him…" He put his face in both hands, resting his elbows on his knees. "That was my big mistake. None of this would have happened if I didn't."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I doubt that's true."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, at least it would have happened differently. Maybe I wouldn't have even been involved." Somehow that hurt. The idea of not knowing Credence was painful to imagine, even now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You really care about him." The creature's voice was soft, sympathetic. His hand softly stroked Percival's shoulder </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's stupid, I know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm here to be Credence for you, let me help," the creature pressed, scooting closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How would you know what Credence would act like when you never met?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't need to, I'll just do what you want me to do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That seems… wrong..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you really want me to leave, I can. Obviously I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was considering it, but there were so many things that he had to get off his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, what’s your name? What should I call you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You call me Credence, that’s the whole reason I’m here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you’re clearly not Credence,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m assuming that you would want me around significantly less were I just a large spider…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely," Percival interjected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which is why I look like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you can shapeshift, then why don’t you get rid of all the extra stuff and look like Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like looking like this." He scoffed. "I like being able to see more and do more. Why wouldn't I want that?" Seeing Credence, well, mostly Credence arguing was charming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you’re… You’re not Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you like the arms or the eyes more?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like neither, can you please just be regular, normal Credence?" Percival pleaded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> normal for me," he argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> supposed to be Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, close your eyes, then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because watching me shapeshift can make people queasy. Close them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival obeyed. It was silent for a few moments. But then he felt a breath on his cheek and a hand cautiously moved to rest on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he used that questioning tone, he could really believe that it was Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival opened his eyes, and the Credence he remembered was sitting next to him. He couldn't help but smile. "Hi, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello," Credence replied anxiously, just like he always used to sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you safe? Are you being taken care of?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but why would you care?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did you hit me? And say those things?" He hunched in on himself shoulders curving in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival lowered his voice, trying to be as non-threatening as possible. "It wasn’t me, it was Grindelwald. He took my face and used it to hurt you. I'm so sorry, I couldn't stop him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would he do that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He wants you, your powers. He wants to use them." Percival scooted closer. "He has an agenda, and you're so powerful that he thinks you could help him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don’t lie to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That wasn't me, I promise you. I would never do anything like that to you. And I can prove it. It was in the papers, he's being charged for it," he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That… really wasn’t you?" His eyes were hopeful, but hesitantly so. Percival wanted to hear it so bad, but he knew it was just part of the game. The real Credence wouldn't be this easy to convince.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't," Percival was emphatic, getting lost in the scene. "He wanted to test you, see how much power you had. And our relationship was a good way to do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you didn't…" His mouth hung open for a second, eyebrows furrowing as though he was trying to process a thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't what, Credence?" He asked, even though he knew what he'd meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn't want my… powers…" He drummed his fingers on his knee in the pause. "Why did you talk to me? Why would you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The way you were treated by that woman made me sick," he breathed in deeply, feeling enraged just thinking about it. "We were investigating her cult's activity, and Tina Goldstein burst into my office one day to tell me about how you and all of the children she supposedly cared for were being mistreated, so I investigated off the clock because I knew she would do something stupid…" He trailed off, remembering that a month after he disappeared, she actually attacked that awful woman. They should have been very thankful that was all she did, considering that their first meeting about their clandestine project she'd threatened to grab a knife and "take care of Mary Lou Barebone the no-maj way" if he didn't help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When did I… see you last?" Credence asked cautiously, testing the waters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We went to the pier." Percival itched to hold his hand. "I got you a sandwich and you gave the chicken on it to a stray cat. I called you a kind soul." He gently set his hand palm-up on his knee closest to Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence cautiously slid his hand into Percival's and smiled softly. He wished that things could really be this easy, that Credence would just accept his explanation and warm back up to him, that things would go back to normal somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wouldn't happen, but he could pretend for tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, Credence." He shifted so he could look at him directly, their knees now touching. "For everything. I couldn’t protect you from your mother, and I couldn’t protect you from that man. I hope you can forgive me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t have to be sorry." Credence looked down at the floor. "It's not like it was your fault."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I promised I would help you, but I didn’t."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You did," he insisted. "So much. I… I didn’t accept who I was before I met you, and you helped me be okay with it. I appreciate seeing a successful man who’s… who’s like me, who told me I can do magic. It makes me hopeful. You mean so much to me…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to tell him not to say that. It was wrong for this Credence to forgive him, comfort his guilty conscience, but he couldn't. Percival needed it so badly, but it wasn't real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're such a great man, helping me and so many other people. And I appreciate that with so many more important and interesting people around, you still chose to be kind to me, be my friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're important and interesting, Credence. I love spending time with you." Percival had wanted to say that for so long. He had spent so much time wishing he'd just gotten to say it, and even though it wasn't to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> Credence it felt good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You make my life better, I feel like you would be bored of me. I'm so old…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not, I've missed you so much," Credence twined their fingers together. "I don't feel like anyone understands me like you do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you too," he felt himself smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I hug you? Is that okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course, Credence. You always can," he said, but still somehow wasn't prepared when Credence took his hand back and wrapped him in a hug. Percival's arm was awkwardly pressed between them, but the hug was loose enough to move it to rest on Credence's back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he breathed in, he smelled the smoke of patchouli and sandalwood incense, as well as rosewater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence tightened the hug, now that it felt less awkward. His hands gripped Percival's back and his thumbs rubbed soothing circles that he could feel through his jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was comforting and familiar. He was instantly transported back to a simpler time, one where he was just a man trying to help a beaten-down young wizard, before everything went to shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hug was ending. Credence pulled away and on instinct, he pressed his lips to Credence's temple as they pulled apart. He'd done it a few times before, when Credence had cried or asked to come home with him. He lingered there, running a hand over the man's jaw and down his neck to his chest. It suddenly struck him that something was wrong when his hand met warm skin and smooth silk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn't Credence, Credence smelled like tallow soap and sweat, he wore rough cotton worn thin with overuse. Percival was talking to a stranger, and it was getting out of hand. "We need to stop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is going somewhere I'm not comfortable with," Percival turned away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My feelings are… Not exactly appropriate. I should have told you to go home, this is wrong, I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to pull his hand away, but it was held fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't understand," Credence--no, the creature--furrowed his eyebrows. "I want to give you what you want, and if you want that--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want you to feel obligated, or compelled, I don't…" he felt emotions well up into his chest, getting stuck in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't feel compelled," the creature replied, not waiting for him to move the conversation forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you have to be here--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do anything. I can do whatever I want, nobody is making me stay here and talk to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She sent you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>She</span>
  </em>
  <span> has no expectations of me in this situation, except that I do only what I feel comfortable to do, and I feel comfortable to do this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, unable to respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature rested a hand on his leg, and spoke in a gentle voice, "you're going through something, and you need comfort. I want to give that to you. Will you let me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shook his head. "I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can, if you want to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival covered his eyes and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're afraid of rejection," the creature said finally. "You think Credence will tire of you and leave you, which is possible, but not something you have to worry about with me because I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
  <span> you aren't Credence. It feels like I’m taking advantage of him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't take advantage of someone who's not even here," the creature pointed out. "He's not here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am. And I want this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Even though you aren't you right now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really ever do this in my default form," he paused and chuckled to himself a bit. "Strangely, very few humans want to kiss enormous spiders."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't reproduce as a spider?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed, a genuinely happy laugh, booming out of his chest. It was odd, a little uncanny, seeing that. It felt good, though. He could never have imagined the visual of Credence laughing like this, with his whole body. Maybe he did this, though. Maybe he was somewhere safe and happy, laughing loudly and impolitely. God, he was fucked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry." The creature said, though he didn't sound even a little genuine. "I didn't expect you to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Was that offensive? I'm so sorry," Percival apologized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, it's fine. I was just surprised." Percival guessed he must have been telling the truth, he was still smiling and didn't seem offended. "If you're really curious we can talk about this more later, but for us reproduction doesn't involve humans at all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what do you do with humans?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Steal their energy and eat them, mostly,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You… Eat humans?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only the ones that piss me off," he replied with a mischievous smile. It was cute on Credence, but he couldn't help but feel a little threatened. He knew it showed on his face because the creature said, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm joking, Percival," and laughed again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he loved seeing that. "Most of us don't eat humans anymore, but we're getting off track here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That offended Percival a bit. "I'm just interested in you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature raised his brows incredulously. "Actually, you're deflecting so you don't have to think about something that makes you uncomfortable. I get the impression that you have a lot of hangups."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Boy, that was an understatement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just follow your instincts, don't overthink." He scooted closer, their thighs pressed tight together. His closest hand moved so it was behind Percival, so their bodies were closer. "What do you want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged, looking at the floor. The creature's chest rested against his shoulder, and his body heat was making Percival uncomfortably warm in his full suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Talk to me. I'm not going to force you to do anything, I just want to know what you're thinking."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked up, finding Credence's dark eyes staring at him. He looked back down, so he didn't have to make eye contact. "You already know," he mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence's hand moved up Percival's back, coming to rest on the back of his neck, thumb rubbing circles into his skin. "I want you to </span>
  <em>
    <span>communicate</span>
  </em>
  <span> it to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, "I just have a hard time believing that you or Credence would want me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He did want you, though, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wanted to say, '</span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>,' because he never allowed himself to believe it, but even without access to the news, he was aware they had reported extensively on their improper relationship, as well as Credence's significantly </span>
  <em>
    <span>less</span>
  </em>
  <span> proper relationship with Grindelwald-as-Graves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued speaking before Percival answered, probably for the best. "And more importantly, I want you now. What is making it hard for you to believe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is sick and pathetic. Why would you want me when I'm…" he trailed off, feeling like he might start to cry. "This is why I never did anything with him, I'm a disgusting old man."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not," the creature assured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How can you be attracted to me right now?" He gestured to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've been vulnerable and open with me in a way that's incredibly endearing. And you're handsome, you know that." The hand on his neck moved up to run through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he did know that, considering how popular he usually was with men. But right now, trapped in a hotel room and losing his grip, he didn't really feel it. "You think I'm handsome?" He finally looked back up at Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on, Percival. You're far too old for that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just… Wanted to hear it I guess."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied with a soft smile. "I'll reward your honesty." His hand smoothed over Percival's hair, "I've seen pictures of you in the paper, your hair looks better without so much of that pomade in it." His hand slid down to Percival's face, cupping it softly. "Your eyes are bright, inviting. And your skin is so soft. Your eyebrows make you look a little angry sometimes, but it's charming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Credence's hand moved down Percival's chest, he felt his cock harden a bit, and desperately tried to will it away. There was no reason he needed to make this weirder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a great body." His hand accidentally brushed Percival's nipple through his suit, and his brain just about jumped out of his skull. Then it moved down further to grasp his waist, as his eyes hungrily roved over Percival's body, like he could see through his suit. It wasn't helping his uncomfortable arousal situation in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It must be genetic, I'm sure they restrict your movements."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I lift weights sometimes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence ran his hand up Percival's arm, squeezing his bicep, then looked into his eyes, "Percival, do you believe I'm attracted to you now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, unsure how his voice would sound if he had to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to kiss me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, he nodded, and without meaning to he looked at Credence's lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to," his voice came out a bit breathy, like he was excited. "Can I have a kiss? Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival closed his eyes and breathed in deep, building up his courage. He didn't know why he needed to, but it just felt important. After counting to five, he finally kissed the man in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was quick and chaste. As he pulled away he opened his eyes to see the creature's imitation of Credence's face instead of Credence's actual face. His heart hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m not sure I can do this," he admitted, running his hand over his mouth nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," he replied, even though he wasn't sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature pulled him into another kiss, slipping his long tongue inside Percival's mouth. He moaned softly, and Percival melted into it, running his hands through Credence's hair. It was still that odd cut his adoptive mother forced on him. He had to have changed it by now, what did the real Credence’s hair look like?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, this is, uh…" Percival shook his head. "Not right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Even without the eyes and arms?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?" Credence repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I already said no," Percival replied nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop, then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature let the silence linger, waiting for Percival to answer, but Percival couldn't say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I feel like you're thinking too much about all of this. You're in your head, get out of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't, it's not like there's a door."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature interrupted him with another kiss, taking a hold of his tie to pull him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It reminded Percival of a rendezvous near a speakeasy, he'd offered to bring Credence and they hadn't even made it inside before Credence pulled him aside and kissed him, rough and inexperienced, their faces smushed together oddly. This was nothing like that, this Credence knew the activity well, and was cupping his face with both hands. The other Credence, the real one, was too excited at the novelty, opening his mouth right away and using too much teeth like he wanted to skip to the good part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away and murmured, "stop it, Percival," then gently kissed him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can't," he said into the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can," the creature chuckled, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Open your mouth for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I--" Percival didn't get to finish, he found his mouth full of tongue, running over his palate and teeth. The hands on his face moved, one on his neck, the thumb over his pulse. The other hand smoothed through his hair, fingers brushing his ear. It finally rested on his shoulder</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was nervous, but it felt good. He hadn't had any physical contact in months, there was no dating under house arrest. How much he'd missed it was a surprise, though. It wasn't as though he'd gone out with many men before the Grindelwald incident, but now that he wasn't working he didn't even get to shake hands or receive a pat on the back. He'd never been a particularly touchy person, but being deprived of almost all human contact had left him starved for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you," he paused as Credence kissed him again. "Can you keep touching my hair?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, then moved both of his hands into Percival's hair, which was longer than he usually preferred. One of them ran through the strands, the other just stroked him gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned, loving the feeling of blunt fingernails running over his scalp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away for breath, but didn't stop playing with his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That feels so good," he murmured, then kissed across Credence's cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is this all you wanted to do?" The hand in his hair dropped to his knee, moving up his thigh teasingly. "Or do you want me to take care of that too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't ask you for that," Percival replied automatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not, I'm offering."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt the hand on his thigh burning through his pants. "I'm still not understanding this," he admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What aren't you understanding?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's happening," Percival answered meekly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's happening is I want to have sex with you," the creature stroked Percival's thigh "I want to suck your cock, and I want you to fuck me. Do you want that too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," he whispered and kissed the man. Hearing Credence's voice say those words was so good. He'd tried to initiate sex, but would never say anything so explicit, instead using euphemisms, then grabbing at him when he ran out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I touch you?" Credence asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival answered, but was still startled when a hand cupped his cock through his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence chuckled a bit. His fingertips traced the outline of Percival's cock and he whispered, "oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his mouth to ask about that, but ended up gasping instead as Credence's hand stroked him harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Am I doing it alright?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," his breath hitched, and he added, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span> yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed lowly, and continued to kiss Percival. He was still stroking through his pants, and Percival felt a wet spot growing in his union suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is good, but I don't want to ruin my pants." Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence moved to kneel on the floor in front of Percival, gently putting a hand on each of Percival's knees. His thumbs rubbed circles into Percival's thighs. "Are you still feeling distracted?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A little," Percival's words came out breathlessly. On instinct, his knees came together for the sake of modesty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence's hands moved between Percival's legs, grabbing onto his thighs so he could push them apart and shift so he was seated in between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just those hands forcefully spreading his knees made his cock throb. They were sliding slowly up his thighs, their thumbs pressing into his flesh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature's hands got almost all the way to his cock before he brought them to the floor. "Tell me if you need me to stop, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up, his eyes nervous. He was suddenly Credence again, speaking in that part-whisper, "Mister Graves, I want you." He rested his cheek on Percival's knee, hands stroking up his calves. "Will you let me touch you? Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to," he reminded Credence, feeling like he had to say it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, it's not like that. I want you so badly. I think about you at night, I touch…" He paused, closing his eyes to steel himself, and he took a deep breath through his mouth. "I touch myself, just thinking about touching you, even though I know it’s bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not bad, Credence." Percival stroked his hair softly. He'd imagined this conversation many times, knew it would be inevitable with a young man deprived of a normal upbringing. Even he had to admit that it was frequently in this context, what with Credence being so affectionate and… curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you do that?" He ducked his head, blushing exactly the way Credence always used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival replied, "I do masturbate."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked up, still seated at Percival's feet. He just looked at Percival for a second, breathing quickly. "Will you show me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His instinct was to push Credence away, but he had to remember that this wasn't Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t touch you all the way down there,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, show me here." One of Credence's hands snaked up his leg to his inner thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to touch myself?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence nodded, biting his lip eagerly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival untucked his shirt, unbuttoning from the bottom, enough to get to his union suit and fly. He pulled his dick out, stroking himself lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence was watching with rapt attention, lips parted. The sight was sexy, his pupils moving up and down as they followed his hand. Some precum dripped down his cock and Credence moaned quietly. He sat up on his knees to get a little closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, can I put it in my mouth?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t have to," he said again, still feeling it necessary to remind the creature he could back out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to, so badly. I think about it when I… do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay." Percival spread his legs so Credence could lean in closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took it in his hands, then brought it to his lips for a soft kiss. Percival tensed his legs to keep from pushing his cock into Credence's face. Credence just smiled and licked up the precum, moaning when he tasted it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s so good, Mister Graves." Credence sighed and took Percival's cock into his mouth, a little at a time. His eyes fell closed, his fluffy lashes caressing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re doing very well, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed, taking Percival in deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s…" Percival trailed off, throwing his head back. "Amazing. You’re so good at this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence let Percival's cock fall from his lips, "I practiced for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you mean with other men?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d never considered it, but the idea of Credence on his knees in an alley letting men fuck his mouth to be ready was deeply arousing. Still, that would be very, very unlikely. Credence was so painfully shy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, sir." He blushed. "My fingers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow that was just as good, imagining him with his long, elegant fingers shoved in his mouth as deep as they’d go, saliva running down his chin…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A fang accidentally grazed his cock, and he realized how lucky he was that they weren’t that sharp, he didn’t even think about it before he let the creature so close to his cock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence." He gently ran his hands through Credence's hair. "You feel so good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moaned around Percival's cock, then sucked hard. Percival threw his head back. It had been far, far too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The noises that Credence was making suddenly changed. He was breathing faster, letting out nasal grunts and small moans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked down and noticed that Credence’s right shoulder was moving with his hand in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, are you touching yourself?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shuddered, bobbing his head the tiniest bit, but didn't stop sucking Percival's cock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s not a real answer." God help him he wanted to hear Credence say that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away from Percival to reply with a roughened voice, "yes, sir. I am, I’m sorry, it’s just so…" He trailed off, biting his lip through a moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay. Come here, I want to touch you too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence stood with his shoulders back, confident. He only saw the real Credence do that once. It was late at night, when he’d snuck out by some miracle, and was waiting for Percival by a street light. His eyes were locked on the sky, gazing at the stars with a peaceful smile on his face, hands shoved into his pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival just stared at him for what felt like an eternity before Credence looked his way and went right back to slouching, like the spell had suddenly been broken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This Credence was not hunching over under his gaze, he was standing confidently. It looked good on him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sit on my lap," he commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence straddled him, his long legs bending awkwardly. This position held his robe open, displaying his dick beautifully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival undid the tie and Credence shrugged the garment down his shoulders, so the neck rested on his biceps. He ran his hands from Credence's thighs to his torso, settling them on his neck so he could use his thumbs to stroke Credence's jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're beautiful."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked down, smiling softly. "Really?" he asked, not disbelieving, only pleasantly surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival replied emphatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re beautiful too," Credence lowered his eyes bashfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival kissed him, running his tongue along his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away, but not fully. He left only enough space between them to speak. "Mister Graves, I want you in me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled back so he could look Credence in the eye. "Have you ever…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence interrupted, "I know I want it. I have for a long time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can do that, I've done it before," Percival replied, feeling butterflies hop into his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please." Credence kissed him roughly. "I want it. I’ve wanted it so badly, please."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was… Exactly what he assumed what would happen if he was with Credence. Just what he’d been thinking Credence would realistically act like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Credence, but not for him to be diminutive or insecure. That was the reason he never did anything with Credence when they were meeting in secret, even though Credence initiated plenty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to wait. The whole reason he even approached Credence was because he could tell the man had magic, or at the very least magical blood. Credence could be so much more than no-maj society had made him. He wanted Credence to be confident, strong. Like he should have been, had he been raised in the magical community.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His plan was to help support Credence once the New Salem Society was shut down, set him up in an apartment, get him a tutor to catch him up, introduce him to the world he belonged in, and only when he was able to make an informed decision would Percival entertain his advances.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wanted Credence to be his equal and this wasn’t it, but any Credence was better than no Credence after weeks alone and wondering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival kissed him lightly. "Let me get some things, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked back at him with a curious expression on his face. "You’re not into this." His tone had suddenly changed. It was the creature talking for himself now, and he leaned back to address Percival. "Your energy…" He furrowed his brows. "You’re not in it. You’re acting out what you think you’re supposed to want. What do you really want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An image popped into his head, one he thought about in his now infinite free time: Credence sitting above him, Percival's legs wrapped around his waist, with the obscurus whipping through the room. Credence's eyes would be that ghostly white from that photo in his file as he fucked Percival hard. He would reach up for Credence, only for his hand to be knocked away and held to the bed with the obscurial's power. His arms would test his bonds, only enough to know he wasn’t going anywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to feel Credence's power, the power he suffered for, and let it bring him to his knees. He wanted him to harness it for something beautiful and obscene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature smiled. "I see. You want him to take control?" He leaned back, squaring his shoulders. "You want to be overpowered."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s… That’s not…" he trailed off. It was completely accurate, but he didn’t want to admit that. He never had admitted that he wanted to be dominated, it wasn’t something expected for him. Percival had political power, he was favored by the president and respected by his peers and subordinates. It was probably old-fashioned to think it, but a man like that wasn't supposed to want those things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to say something, something that didn't confirm or deny the creature's statement. "What makes you think that? How would you even know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to confess, my kind have a little bit of a talent for knowing what people want," he paused, making concerted eye contact. "I haven't been using it, but I need to know, I don't want to do anything that you're not okay with."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran his hands over his face to hide his blush, though he realized his ears were probably red too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not judging you, Percival. A lot of the people I have sex with want that. It's the twenties, it's not shameful to want things that might be unexpected for a man of your age and status." He ran his hands up Percival's chest, finally resting them behind his neck. "I did ask you to tell me, though. Why didn't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm embarrassed, obviously!" Percival turned his face away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence put a hand on Percival's cheek, using it to move his face forward. "I know, but I haven't judged you for anything else so far, why would I judge you for that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't say it was rational," Percival replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell me now." He leaned in close, stroking Percival's cheek. "What do you really want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to be dominated," he admitted. "I like the thought of being overpowered by powerful people."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don’t have an obscurus, but I do have these." He  removed his robe to show his four extra arms had reappeared. "Will that work for you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he replied. Credence held a hand out, and Percival allowed himself to be pulled into a standing position. He felt his pants pool on the floor, and was suddenly very aware of the fact that his cock was poking out of his union suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence distracted him quickly by holding his face in another pair of hands. He lowered his voice, speaking in a sympathetic tone that could easily be construed as mocking, "poor thing, thinking you have to pretend to be rough and commanding when all you want is to hand over control." He stroked Percival's cheek softly. "You just want to be told what to do, given the rules so you know exactly how to behave, right? Maybe be told what a good boy you are when you do what I say?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed around the lump in his throat and whispered, "I want that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do?" The creature tilted his head and grinned, showing off his fangs. "I can definitely do that for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gripped Percival's hair, tilting his head back, as he kissed him. His fangs grazed over Percival's bottom lip, and that electric jolt of pain went right to his cock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned into his mouth and deepened the kiss, trying to chase that feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away enough to ask, "do you like pain?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," it came out tentative, whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a chuckle, then dove back in, making sure to bite down a bit on Percival's tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can…" he stopped to moan into Credence's mouth when his hand stroked over Percival's cock. "You can bring the eyes back, too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, can I?" he teased, pressing chaste kisses to his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival worked out, only a little muffled by Credence's mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled away entirely, holding Percival away with a hand on his chest. "Ask me nicely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please return your eyes to </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he very intently emphasized that word. "I liked how you looked with them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Empty spaces on his face tore open, revealing his other eyes. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> unsettling, but it didn't dampen his arousal in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what do we say when we get what we want?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They kissed again, and the creature bit down on his lip as he pulled away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you want me to call you?" The creature pulled back to ask. "Mister Graves isn’t really something you call someone you’re taking."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was silent, averting his gaze as a blush overcame his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You like it." He grinned, his sharp teeth on full display. "Being reminded how much power you have, what you’re ceding when you let someone else be in control." The creature got up off his lap, his cock bouncing. "You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scrambled to his knees, not even bothering to tuck his dick back in his suit. His hands flew to Credence's cock, guiding it to his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence bit his lip, staring down at Percival. He looked uneasy, back in character.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you not… want me to?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ve never… Nobody has ever…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s okay." Percival ran his hands up Credence's legs, feeling his hair go from coarse at his calves to soft at his thighs. He slowly kissed up Credence's legs, lingering on his inner thighs when a soft shudder wracked Credence's body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival didn’t want to do anything too quickly, so he gently laid a kiss on Credence's balls, then his cock before licking him root to tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence jolted, letting out a shout. "Oh, oh, Mister Graves, that feels…" He trailed off, his eyes falling closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival eased his cock into his mouth, a little at a time. Credence thrust his hips, rocking forward in small movements that wouldn’t choke Percival.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt so good, doing this for Credence. The weight on his tongue, the heat in his mouth, the taste of his precome… Everything was perfect, obscenely so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence moved his head with a grip on his hair so they were making eye contact now. He was panting, his eyes wide and dilated. At this angle, his throat closed a little more, it was harder to keep from gagging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For his part, Credence had stopped thrusting, but he sort of missed it. It had been distracting him from the pain in his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival tried to turn his eyes toward Credence's cock, focus, but Credence stopped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we should do this in bed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was breathing heavily, and his face was hot, but he replied, "okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence sat down on the bed with his back against the headboard. Percival suddenly realized he was still on the floor and stood, buttoning himself back up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Leave those," Credence commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right," Percival undid his buttons again, letting his pants pool on the ground. His neck was cramping too, so he rolled it a few times as he approached the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was moving purposefully, or he'd lose his nerve. Percival had to focus on the moment, not any of the silly little things that would distract him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully, he settled between Credence's legs, stroking them gently, from his knobby ankles, up his calves, and onto his thighs. He focused on the feeling of each hair, the way the hard planes of his shins gave way to muscled calves, to his soft thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt more calm than he had in a long time. It was truly peaceful, getting lost in Credence's body like this. Finally he took hold of Credence's cock, stroking it a few times. Then he rested his hand at the base, settled in the thick hair on his torso, and licked the head. Credence shuddered, and Percival felt his cock stir. He pressed wet kisses up the shaft, then sucked on the tip, releasing it with a wet pop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Credence sighed. His knees pressed inward, holding onto Percival with his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He worked Credence's cock into his mouth, swiping with his tongue as he went. When he bobbed his head, he sucked and the lewd slurping noise he made was enough to make him want to touch himself, but he didn't want to do something Credence hadn't given him permission for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lord</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he keened loudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked down at his cock to focus on his task, but Credence corrected him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I want to look you in the eyes." A hand ran through his hair, and he felt the weight of his bangs shift away from his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival obeyed, even though his jaw was beginning to hurt. He hadn’t been with someone this big in far too long to be as enthusiastic as he was, but there would be plenty of time to regret it later. Not like he would be any more busy tomorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled off, stopping to catch his breath. He replaced his mouth with his hand, still making sure to look Credence directly in the eyes, even though it felt a little too intimate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really wanted Credence to come on his face, mark him, ruin him, but he also wasn’t ready for this to end. Percival needed more than this, so much more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me come on your face."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival sucked up the rest of the precum on Credence's cock, then let it go to stroke it with his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature got right back into character, breathing hard and letting out cute little pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait… Mister Graves, I’m… Going to c—" he trailed off into a moan, throwing his head back as he came into Percival's open mouth and onto his face. There was so much of it, dripping down his cheek and onto his chest and the bed. He swallowed, finding it tasted… strange. Sweeter, kind of like a pear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m so sorry!" The creature was really selling this scenario. He was blushing up to his hairline and wringing his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s okay, really. These things happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It just felt so good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really, it’s okay. Can you come again?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As many times as I want," Credence whispered. His tone sounded like he might wink, and suddenly Percival wondered whether he would wink with one eye or all the eyes on one side of his face…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This looks…" He ran a hand over Percival's forehead, then dragged his fingers through the cum on his face, "good. It’s… sexy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence offered his fingers to Percival, who took them into his mouth and sucked. He was again struck by the odd taste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is it sweet?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Evolutionary trait," Credence said, with no elaboration. "Do you have a towel?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moved to get up, but was stopped with a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can get it, bathroom?" He stood, still resting his hand on Percival's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival just nodded, and Credence walked to the bathroom, while Percival took his jacket off to keep cum from dripping onto it. His shirt was a lost cause at this point, but he didn’t take it off yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence returned with a towel, he started by wiping Percival's face. It was damp and warm, keeping his face from getting sticky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry about your shirt." He dabbed at the fabric, trying to get out as much as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s fine." Percival cleared his throat, which was a bit sore. "Probably worth it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you need some time? Or would you like to continue?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Continue, please," Percival started untucking his shirt, knowing he'd have to get it off soon anyway..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then get on all fours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival rushed to comply, abandoning his jacket on the edge of the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves." Credence raised his eyebrows. "You didn’t even take your shirt off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry." He sat up and began unbuttoning his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I said all fours," his tone wasn’t quite commanding, but it was the most stern he’d ever heard the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival got back into position, looking down at the bed to focus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence gently ran his hands over Percival's thighs. "I’ve never done anything like this before. Will you tell me if I do something wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sure you won’t," Percival reassured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence added, "I just may not know the right things to say. All I know is what I imagined you saying to me. What if it’s not right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence…" His heart hurt. "Can I turn around?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Credence replied shyly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival turned and got up on his knees, finding Credence blushing heavily and biting his lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Say what you think is right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay." He smiled, and Percival noticed the eyes on his lower face crinkled up</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I kiss you?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence nodded, though his face was the picture of confusion. "You're asking me for permission?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re the one in control."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence dragged him forward by his collar, sliding his tongue right into Percival's mouth. His other hands started stripping the shirt from Percival's body. He tossed his shirt from the bed and moved to work on his own union suit, but Credence stopped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not yet." Credence smiled, running a hand through Percival's chest hair. "Back on your hands and knees first, facing away from me?" His tone went up at the end, partly unsure, partly teasing. Percival obeyed immediately, and felt hands move to caress his thighs and ass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never imagined you would do this for me,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would…" He wanted to say he would do anything for Credence, but this wasn’t really Credence, and if he said that… "I, uh, I'm full of surprises."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I imagined you would rather be with someone more handsome and smart than me. Someone who dressed nicely and knew how to impress you," he chuckled darkly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, you’re plenty handsome and smart, and you impress me so much. I've always thought so highly of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Am I impressing you now?" Credence asked mischievously, as he used his thumbs to spread Percival's still-clothed ass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded but stayed silent, focusing on the feeling of Credence's hands massaging his backside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Take off the rest of them, but don’t move."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival charmed away his underwear, leaving himself naked, legs spread open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, sir." Credence pulled his cheeks apart to look at him closer. The sudden feeling of a warm, wet tongue over his entrance made him jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t like it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn’t expecting that," Percival explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So can I keep doing it?" he asked, but didn't wait for Percival to respond before Credence went back to licking him, delving his tongue inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still mumbled, "yeah," in between embarrassing noises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently the creature had a longer tongue than he realized. It felt so good inside, fucking him open. Too soon it was gone and Percival shuddered when one slick finger slid inside in its place, teasing its way deeper. It was too slow, not enough. He squirmed, trying to feel more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hold still, Mister Graves." Credence placed a hand on his lower back authoritatively, while another spread his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re teasing me," he muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought you wanted me to be in control." His voice was so casual, so calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence draped himself over his back to bring his lips close to Percival's ear. "So let me have control."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I just…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence interrupted, "do you want to be a good boy for me?" He nuzzled Percival gently, his hard cock pressed against his backside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He obviously replied, "yes," because he truly, deeply did want that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So listen to me and I’ll reward you," he paused to press a kiss to Percival's temple. "I know you can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," he replied, steeling himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried hard to hold still, but Credence was… So very good at this. It was definitely the fact that the creature knew everything he wanted already, and rather than forcing him to admit all of his desires, which he had never done, not directly. He'd only ever found the right people, so he wasn’t required to admit how much he wanted to submit. All he had to do was agree to let them fulfill their desires.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should have been doing this all along, really. He knew no shortage of legilimens through work, and it would be easy to meet more…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he would have to consider that later, because now Credence was using both his tongue and fingers, holding his thighs open with three firm hands. He clutched at the sheets to try and stay still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re doing so well, Mister Graves. You’re such a good boy for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," Percival replied quietly. He shuddered, feeling another finger slip inside. Credence's tongue swirled around his fingers over his rim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re very welcome." Credence's lips were inches away from his hole as he spoke, then they pressed a sloppy kiss to him as he added a third finger. Percival clamped down, trembling as he tried not to push back and urge those fingers deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do I need to pin you down?" Credence asked, his tone lightly mischievous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stopped for a second. That sounded very good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, pin me down. I want that." He sounded wrecked, desperate, and he felt it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival gathered his courage. "Please hold me down?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t sound so sure,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want it. Pin me, sit on me, tie me up…" Shit, that was an even better idea. Being tied up, totally at Credence's mercy? He’d genuinely dreamed of that, being taken while the obscurus tied his hands, feeling the crackle of magic over his skin…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can tie you up," he offered quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, please," Percival breathed out in a rush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt Credence move off of the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like this? On your hands and knees?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just tie my hands behind my back." He held them together for what seemed like way too long before Credence brought his arms over his head instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You need to be able to balance, I don’t want to knock you over." Credence was gently binding Percival's wrists. He looked at it and realized it was spider silk, delicate little threads wrapping over and over, until he felt that they could hold his arms together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you need to get out, you can just pull hard. It won't trap you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied obediently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re so polite." He patted Percival's ass lightly. "Keep it up for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded against the bed, then craned his neck to see what Credence was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was looking down at Percival, stroking his own cock with one hand and opening up a bottle of lubricant with two others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence noticed him, and leaned over to gently guide his face back. "Face forward, and relax. You look like you're dreading it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So many hands, too many hands, were suddenly on him. One pushed down each shoulder, one rested on his back, two were holding his cheeks apart. The last hand thrust three lubricated fingers inside him, then added a fourth. He was ready, so ready...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence?" he began, trying not to sound too demanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m here, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran through him at the formality. Being called sir by a man who was forcefully holding him down and fingering him open was one of the most erotic things he could think of and he knew that Credence (well, the creature) had been saving it for the right moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck it, he was going to beg, "please, I need more, I need you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled his hand away, replacing it with his dick, just barely thrusting in. His hands shuffled around, one clutching his hair tightly, one holding down his head. Another two hands were on his back and shoulders, and the last was fondling his sack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The feeling of so many hands, holding him down, touching him, filling him… It was addictive being controlled so overwhelmingly. He just went boneless and let Credence be in control. There was nothing for him to think about: all he had to do was melt into the exquisite sensations he was feeling, and he let out a high-pitched moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival heard a small chuckle from behind himself before the creature pulled out slowly, then thrust back in hard. His lover started a teasing pace, far too shallow and far too slow, one pair of hands lightly stroking his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival tried to meet his thrusts, only to find himself held in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sit still, Mister Graves," Credence admonished, patting his ass lightly as though in warning. Was he going to get spanked by Credence?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, I need more," he begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not until you behave. Good boys say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.'" Credence spanked him hard, just one time, but he still moaned. Clenching around Credence's length inside him made Credence thrust a little deeper, but then he drew out entirely, leaving Percival empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Percival turned his head, trying to look at Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good boys also don’t talk like that." A quick swat landed on each of his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, sir," he apologized, turning back around. Percival shivered when Credence thrust his cock against his entrance, but didn't go in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don’t do it again." A hand rubbed his ass softly, right where he'd been struck before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won’t, I won't," he replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You won't, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Credence asked, pulling further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sir, I won't </span>
  <em>
    <span>sir</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I just need you in me, please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence slid in slowly, agonizingly slowly, but it felt perfect when he was fully inside, their hips flush. He wasn’t in for long, Credence pulled out too quickly, leaving him empty again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time he sat still, focused on his breathing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When you have clear rules, you’re so well-behaved, Mister Graves."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," his voice trailed off into a long moan when Credence slid back inside, all the way again, so deep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think my good boy deserves a reward, do you agree?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breathing was ragged, he couldn't trust himself to speak, so he just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I see you?" Percival almost didn't remember to add, "please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled out, then flipped Percival over easily, like it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was overwhelming being manhandled like that, like he was a piece of paper that could be flipped over with two fingers. He couldn’t compare in strength, he was totally at Credence's mercy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted so badly to swear, but instead he cleared his throat and said, "thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The idea that Credence could do anything he wanted and Percival had no ability to stop it was deeply arousing, but what was even hotter was that nothing he didn’t want would happen. Credence was trustworthy, this creature was trustworthy. Nothing he didn’t want would happen today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he could get a little rougher? Be less concerned with his comfort?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the creature read his mind, he also brought two arms up to hold his upper body down onto the bed. Another pair forced his legs open uncomfortably and he thrust his cock against Percival's.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence, please," he begged. "Please, I want you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you ready?" Credence asked, despite the begging and pleading he'd been doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, please, so ready, please." He felt the head of Credence’s cock line up with his rim, pushing only the slightest bit in. It was so close, he was trying so hard not to move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally Credence pushed in, and Percival tipped his head back and let out the breath he’d been holding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, oh God, thank you so much," he mumbled, gripping the pillow behind him with white knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His instinct was to wrap his legs around Credence's waist and pull him closer, deeper, but he couldn’t. Credence was in control, and he wanted it that way, he just wasn’t used to being teased like this, denied what he wanted. This was like nothing he’d ever experienced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I put my legs around you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have a better idea," Credence replied, then lifted one of Percival's legs up over his shoulder. The other was guided around Credence's waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still didn’t thrust in, in fact Credence brought his dick up to rub against Percival's, squeezing them together with one hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence rested his temple against Percival's leg. He was grinning, open-mouthed, all his eyes lidded as he moaned and pressed kisses to the sweaty skin of his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival's eyes flicked down to look at his fangs, they were stunning, such a bright white and not too sharp to cut, but they looked like they’d feel good biting down on his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to bite you?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>, thank Hecate for this glorious gift.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, bite me, please, I want it," he begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence let Percival's leg drop and bent down. He ran his tongue up Percival's torso, over his nipple, and up to his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where no one can see?" the words were murmured into his ear, followed by a nip at his earlobe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, biting his lip when teeth nipped at his neck, low enough to hide with a shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, don’t do that." His lips trailed back up to Percival's ear. "I want to hear you. I need to know if I’m doing it right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence bit down on his collarbone, he let out a groan, which felt a little too loud, but he let it go anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, keep that up." A finger slid inside him, teasing his prostate as Credence's teeth sunk into the junction between his shoulder and neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence, my </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Percival felt his legs shaking as the finger inside him rubbed hard on that perfect spot. He wanted to swear, but he also wanted to be good so very badly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are, Mister Graves," he whispered into Percival's ear while thrusting three fingers inside him. "You’re so good, you’re trying so hard."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, breathing raggedly. His arms were bent, hands in fists with their white knuckles pulled to his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’ve just denied yourself this, and you have to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>used</span>
  </em>
  <span> to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, yes, yes." He bit down on one of his knuckles at the feeling of a fourth and fifth finger slipping inside him, from a second hand, again perfectly lubricated. The creature was nothing if not considerate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence placed a chaste kiss on his temple, and Percival was immediately embarrassed when he realized how sweaty his face was. He angled his face away. "You are better at talking than I expected."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I imagined you saying those things to me. When I thought about how you'd touch me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to Credence to ask, "What else did you imagine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Making me suck your cock in the alley."Credence blushed a bit, but maintained eye contact. "Taking me home with you and stripping me, kissing me everywhere until I was hard and writhing, then using your hand on me. Letting me straddle your ribs and rub myself on you until I came on your chest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That last one was filthy in the best way. He might have to try something like that eventually. Maybe go find a handsome man at that music hall a few blocks away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But the best was imagining you holding me close as we laid on the bed together." Credence nuzzled his neck. "Burying your face in my hair as you took me from behind. You would tell me how beautiful and perfect you thought I was."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, you are beautiful and perfect, even though I’m not the one taking you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re beautiful, too, you know." Credence kissed down his face, pressing the last one to his chin. "That’s the first thing I thought when I saw you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stretched his hands apart as much as he could, placing the tips of his fingers on Credence's chin so he could draw him into a kiss. He didn’t have any leverage, or even a way to pull Credence toward him with his arms bound, Credence allowed himself to be led.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This kiss was different, slow and chaste, with Credence's lips smiling into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here," Credence whispered when he pulled away. He ripped the spider silk binding, freeing Percival's hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, he ran his hands up into Credence's hair and kissed him again, this time drawing his tongue into his mouth. When they parted, he felt their saliva drip out of his mouth and down his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied through heaving breaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed, then pushed inside without another word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, oh, Credence," Percival breathed, biting down hard on his lower lip. It had been so long since he had Credence's cock inside that it felt like the first time again. Credence slid all the way in and stayed there for a few seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he started moving, Percival's toes curled in the bedding. It was so hard to keep from wrapping his legs around Credence and moving against him, but he just bit on his lip and focused on the stiff feeling in his fingers from his hands being bound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, you’re bleeding," Credence's voice was concerned, and one hand stroked over his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that it was pointed out, he tasted the copper of his own blood in his mouth. Credence leaned down, capturing his lips in a hungry kiss, lapping up his blood. It stung, and Credence bit down more to draw more blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he would have to heal his lip later, or live with a nasty bruise, but when Credence pulled away, his mouth smeared bright red, he couldn’t bother to care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence kissed him again, a little peck, then brought a thumb up to Percival's lip. He pulled it down, then released it, and Percival realized he'd healed the wound for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you." He felt like he'd said that a hundred times by now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re welcome," he whispered as he started thrusting, slow and deliberate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, yes, yes," Percival chanted, allowing his eyes to slide closed. This is what he'd been waiting for, for what felt like hours, and now that he had it, he knew it was worth the wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence sped up, he let out a ragged moan, reaching his hands up to grab at the pillows. He wrapped his legs around Credence's waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How am I doing, Mister Graves?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s perfect, Credence, you’re perfect. I love it, I love your cock." He was babbling now, but everything felt so right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Naughty language." Credence halfheartedly swatted at Percival's thigh. It wasn’t a warning, just a tease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence began to thrust slowly, more shallowly. "I have another chance for you to be good for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, eyes still closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you listening to me?" Credence pulled out entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flew open. "Yes, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m going to tell you when to come, and you’re going to do it," he replied with a smile, stroking Percival's thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t—" he was cut off by Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can try.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I really can’t do it," he tried to explain but was again interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to be a good boy for me?" Credence bit down on the skin over Percival's ribcage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he trailed off in a hiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then you’ll try." Credence rested his cheek on Percival's chest, softly nuzzling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, I will," Percival relented. "But what happens if I can’t?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ll punish you," he replied with a smile. One of Credence's hands went to cup his ass suggestively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The prospect of being spanked again was thrilling, but he wanted to obey so he just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good boy," Credence slapped his ass hard. "I’m going to count to five, you need to come when I say to, got it?" His lips just barely touched Percival's chest in a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir," he spoke meekly, unconvinced of his ability to do this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you ready?" Credence asked. "Take your time, if you need it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ready as I’ll ever be," Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"One," Credence counted, sitting up on his knees so he could look down at Percival. Two pairs of arms forcefully pulled Percival down the bed, up into Credence's lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned loudly at the feeling of his cock hitting home so perfectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two." He rolled his hips sensually, grinding right over Percival's prostate. "Three." Now he finally touched Percival's cock, stroking it, running his thumb over the tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wasn’t expecting it. He threw one of his hands above his head, knocking it against the headboard, and let out an embarrassingly high-pitched, "Oh fuck!" He quickly added, "Sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ll let that go, since I did surprise you," Credence replied, humor in his voice..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," Percival muttered, then corrected, "I mean, thank you, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome." Credence used another hand to rub his nipple, gently pulling on it when he said, "four."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival started shaking his head. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t come on cue. He bit his lip, feeling like a wave was just above him, about to crash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shook his head again. "Don’t want to disappoint you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can do it," his voice was gentle, encouraging. "I know you won’t disappoint me, my sweet boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to focus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Five, are you ready?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival could only nod as Credence's hand sped up on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Percival, come for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squeezed his eyes shut as his orgasm tore through him. Had it </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> felt this good?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shuddered at the oversensitivity, feeling the cock inside him shift deeper as Credence leaned over him. Lips pressed to his temple, moving to whisper in his ear, "good job, I'm so proud of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he whispered weakly, feeling his chest heave with his deep breaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look beautiful like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence kissed him before he could respond, sliding their tongues together slowly. When he pulled away, he moved to sit up, but Percival wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't pull out, please," he pleaded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence leaned back over Percival and stroked his face, "I thought you would be sensitive."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I still want it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It?" the creature asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to come inside me," Percival replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled, kissing Percival's jaw. "Dirty boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I do something for you?" Percival asked. "What do you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not picky." He shrugged a bit, then kissed him on the lips again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You made me say mine," he argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned in close, whispering in Percival's ear, "I enjoy pleasing my partners, putting you first is the whole point for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've done so much for me, though, is there a position you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like this." He smiled, bringing a hand up to touch Percival's cheek. "I like seeing your face." The creature started moving again, rocking in and out slowly. His hand moved down to rest on Percival's chest</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt weird being the only one getting exactly what he wanted. He really wanted to do something nice for the creature. Maybe he'd enjoy some more dirty talk? He was pretty good at it, that must be from experience, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You feel so good in me," he began, carefully watching his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature smiled a little, sitting up straight. He kept his hand on Percival's chest as he thrusted in and out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I call you baby?" Percival asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His rhythm stuttered a bit at that, but he kept going. "I'd prefer you didn't."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to call you </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't want me to be Credence anymore?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not Credence right now. What's your name?" he pushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought for a bit, then replied, "you can call me dear, then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, dear," Percival purred, running a hand over the creature's chest. "You don't have to be gentle, I want you to enjoy this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I am. This is a great view." He punctuated those words by running his unoccupied hands over Percival's sides and up to his collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mine isn't so bad either," Percival's words came out breathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature stopped to reposition Percival's legs, putting them both over his shoulders to get a deeper angle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned, moving in time with the creature's thrusts. "You can fuck me harder," he paused to let out a gasp. "Come on. Use me. I want your cock."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature kissed him roughly, desperately. It was messy, unrefined, but undeniably amazing. Their tongues tangled together, the creature moaning into Percival's mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he was hitting the right button for sure. Percival couldn't help but feel a bit smug about that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You fuck me so well, give me exactly what I need. Nobody's ever fucked me like this," he paused to groan quietly after the creature pulled out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nobody?" he asked, a disbelieving smirk on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have hangups about sex, remember?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature thrust back in, with long, slow strokes in and out. One pair of hands clutched his hips</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned loudly, shifting his hips down. "So good, that's so good, I love your dick."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," the creature muttered. He closed his eyes, brows furrowed and panted a little as he thrusted deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please fuck me harder," Percival begged. "Come on, I can take it. You fingered me for at least half an hour."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're </span>
  <em>
    <span>killing</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, Percival," he laughed a little, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival chuckled, "too much? I can stop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you dare," he replied gruffly, leaning in for another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Want me to tell you more?" he asked into the creature's lips. "Like how tomorrow I'll think about you and feel empty? How I'll remember this and have to touch myself thinking of how good your cock feels?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature let out a strangled sound, burying his face in Percival's neck. He pushed deeper, moving his hips in small thrusts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, come inside me, I need it. Need to feel you," Percival panted in time with the thrusts. "Let it out, dear."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the creature pant against his neck, keening loudly. "Fuck, Percival, fuck," he whispered as he came. Again, there was so much cum. He felt it spill out around the creature's cock, dripping as he pulled out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you have that much of it still?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he looked at the man, he saw Credence grabbing the towel he'd used on his face and wiping up the cum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," he replied quietly, suddenly struck by the feeling that his mind was clearer than it had been in a long time. He sat up, leaning against the headboard, enjoying the weight of calm in his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to clean up my messes." The creature was out of character again, just being himself, but he was casual, like this was a normal situation. How was he so calm? He even laughed as he spoke, "well, as much as I can. You’re going to have to clean up properly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," he found himself answering. Now he couldn't help but think about how much he wanted a bath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me draw that for you." The creature smiled and got up, stopping to rub Percival's shoulder softly. "I really put you through the ringer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," he replied flatly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before going to the bathroom, the creature stopped to tidy up, picking up their clothes from the floor. He didn't tie his robe back on, just slipped it over his arms and draped the tie around his neck like an untied tie. Percival's clean clothes were set on the bed, his dirty shirt tossed into the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't enter the bathroom right away, though. The creature came back to the bed, ruffling Percival's hair affectionately. He used a hand to tip Percival's head up by his chin and kissed Percival again, softly. "Be right back."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival laid down, listening to the tap running. It felt peaceful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bath is ready," the creature called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival got up, feeling his knees protest. He hadn’t even noticed while he was kneeling, but now that he wasn’t distracted by his arousal, it was painful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature came back out of the bathroom. He grabbed Percival’s hands and led him to the bathroom. The tub was full of warm water, steaming in the chill of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your shirt is soaking in the sink," the creature said. "If it was bigger, I'd put the comforter in. I'll have to use magic on that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Leave it, I'll deal with it after my bath," Percival replied. He moved to climb into the tub, but the creature held his hand fast, intent on helping him in. Percival felt too relaxed to argue, just let him hold his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like me to bathe you?" he asked once he let Percival's hand go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" Percival stepped into the bath, feeling his skin tingle from the hot water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s nice, sometimes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked over to find him balanced with one knee on the edge of the tub. "Do you want to? Is that something you're into?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm offering because what we did was intense and I want to take care of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m fine." He sunk deeper, and curled up a bit so he could get his whole body in the tub. He missed the big tub in his bathroom at home, where he could lay down all the way without his feet touching the other end. "Why are you acting this way?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What way?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like what we just did wasn't…" He traced patterns in the water, listening to it splash. "Strange, and probably fucked up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're still overthinking, I see." He paused to chuckle. "I wish I could just stay here and fuck you until you don't, but I think that would take a while."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely after I'm out of house arrest. Maybe not until after I die." He moved lower into the tub, letting the water rise to his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will definitely need a few food breaks in there then," the creature chuckled, and Percival felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "But I can stay for another round, if you want. I can wait outside while you bathe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m definitely done for the night. You should go home, I’m sure you have more important things to do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m here to take care of you." The creature sat down on the lip of the tub. "If you need anything from me, just tell me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m really alright, thank you for everything. Not just the sex, this too. And talking to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No trouble at all," "Was everything satisfactory?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely." Percival assured as he tipped his head back to get his hair wet. "I’m actually not sure I’ll be able to enjoy sex with someone with only two arms now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature laughed. "Well, now you know how to reach me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he joking?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival didn’t know, so he joked back, "are you saying I have to call her every time I want a good lay? Because those offerings were pricey."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, you’ll probably see me before then." He paused and patted Percival's arm. "I’ll be around."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For business or pleasure?" Percival continued his blasé joking, mostly because he felt he had committed to it at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I live here," he answered, then added. "Well, Chelsea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked back up to the creature, and said, "if I’m going to see you around, then maybe I should learn your actual name."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t want to keep calling me Credence?" He made a fake sad face and tilted his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m assuming you’re not going to look like Credence next time?" Percival purposely phrased it as a question, wanting to know the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won’t, but you’ll still know who I am." He finally winked, and it was a wave of all of his eyes closing and reopening one after another, like a deck of cards being shuffled. "I’ll make sure of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I appreciate that." Percival found himself smiling, and unsuccessfully tried to hide it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And my name is Katsumi." He dipped his head and ran a hand up Percival's arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Katsumi," he repeated. "Nice to meet you." He held out his hand for a shake, which Katsumi looked at for a second before shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice to meet you too," he ducked his head a bit before standing back up. "I'll leave you now. Would you like me to turn on the radio?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure," Percival dipped his head under, and when he came back out, he heard soft jazz from the next room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Katsumi?" he called out nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few moments of silence, he leaned back against the edge of the tub and whispered, "holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Trans Rights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>;)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The underwear I gave Graves in this version is technically accurate to the period, in 1927-28 union suits were beginning to switch to an undershirt+boxer short combo. It was considered the underwear of athletes or the sexually promiscuous, but I have a partially clothed sex kink and I wanted that to be consistent.</p><p>I want to warn that there is a lil bit of Graves struggling w/ being submissive+bottoming and his gender identity but it's literally one line.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Percival Graves was at the end of his rope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The obscurial incident was ruining his life. Not only was he under suspicion of working with Grindelwald, he also had to question  his relationship with just about every person in his life, since Grindelwald successfully destroyed just about all of them. Grindelwald either fucked his close friends or pretended they didn't exist. His coworkers that weren't useful were reassigned, transferred, or just treated like shit to the point that they stopped caring. Some of his closer coworkers ended up indoctrinated and held loyalty to Grindelwald, so when he escaped, they followed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was a clever man, Percival had to admit. Grindelwald hadn't just thought about the short term- which was kidnapping and tormenting him- but he predicted that he would be caught eventually and made sure that Percival would return to a world where he was completely isolated from everyone he'd ever cared about. His family was embarrassed of him, he couldn't go out in public without people pointing and whispering about him. He used to go out a few times a week, with friends or on dates, but now</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making sure everyone would believe he was a Grindelwald supporter by not physically harming him was one last "fuck you" in a long series of "fuck you"s. After Grindelwald's escape, MACUSA put him on house arrest until the investigation on his involvement was closed. He'd been a few days away from walking out of that hotel forever, but upon Grindelwald's escape, it was requested that he extend his stay. This came directly from Picquery, and was tooth-achingly sugarcoated so as not to offend: a small courtesy afforded him, with respect to his service. In return, he didn't scream at her for being partly responsible for the escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wouldn’t be so bad if he had even one thing to focus on besides the situation at hand, but he wasn't allowed to do any work whatsoever. He was only able to leave the hotel at certain hours, so when he wanted to take a walk after eight, it had to be inside the hotel, which by now he’d seen the entirety of twelve times over, and in the company of at least one of several guards that were posted in the hotel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, he wasn’t even allowed the newspaper, so he had no way of even knowing about what was going on outside his hotel room. One time, he even went all the way to Harlem to try to get a paper, only to find out that every vendor in the state knew about his news blackout and refused to sell him a copy. This even extended to books. He had to put in a request for a book, which was then processed and upon approval a copy was purchased for him (with his own money, of course) and thoroughly searched for any potential security issues. The whole process took two weeks, and with nothing to do he could finish even the thickest tomes in three days. Anything too modern or related to recent events was an automatic denial. His request for a copy of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fantastic Beasts </span>
  </em>
  <span>was denied by the guard he submitted his forms to, they'd all been told he wasn't allowed that book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The worst part was not knowing what had happened to Credence. He had some idea, as Goldstein was happy to tell him all she knew over breakfast about a week after the subway incident, excitedly telling him that she was sure he was alive in Europe. She was the same as she always was, eating her food far too quickly as she shared her plan to take a fake vacation with the hush money she received to make up for Grindelwald's attempt at killing her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you don't want to take a break?" he'd asked after her detailed description of her harrowing experience with the execution chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no," she'd paused briefly for a bite, eyes not moving from her food. "I can't risk losing his trail."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is your sister going with you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She isn't, I'm leaving her money for rent and food, and she's thinking about training to be an auror too," Tina finally looked up, trying to gauge his reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thinking about it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina made an inscrutable face and replied, "Queenie doesn't feel that our experience reflects well on the government."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's right," he'd replied simply. "I'd tell her not to. She can do anything. If she wants to do investigative work, she could be a P.I. If she wants to use her gift she could be a journalist. There's so many options for her, why get involved with the government?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never thought you of all people would say something like that,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembered thinking, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, things change after you get kidnapped and have your face stolen.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "There are cracks, Tina," he'd said, pausing for a drink because he knew she'd need a second to process him calling her by her given name. "The fact that you and a British national could be sentenced to death unilaterally, in mere minutes, with not one person questioning it, reveals that there's true corruption in our government. We should all get out while we can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled with some difficulty, looking wistful. "So you don't think I should just… Go back to work? Instead of chasing Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen to me carefully," he'd scooted in, leaning in close over the table. "Fuck no. Leave MACUSA, go find Credence. And send me updates."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina's smile widened, a real smile this time, "Of course, Percival." She paused a bit before asking, "I can call you that, right? Since you called me Tina?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure not going to be Auror Graves anymore, why not?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They parted with a hug, and he slipped her some money, which she vehemently tried to decline, but he had insisted. "I'm stuck in a hotel, what do I need it for?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina hugged him again, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm gonna find him, I promise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sent him coded postcards, updating him about her paid "vacation" as her search led her around the continent, waiting until she’d already left so as to not give away her location. It worked pretty well. All her letters made it past the interns inspecting his mail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The problem was, she wasn’t finding him. He was getting tired of reading things like, "I still can’t find my lost shawl," or "I haven’t spotted the perfect souvenir for you yet." Looking back, it was probably around letter nine where he moved from concern to obsession, but it was hard to be anything but obsessed with his only access to the wider world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted more: information about sightings, her European contacts, her travel plans… But no. He couldn't ask, and she couldn't disclose without arousing suspicion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her last letter heavily implied that Credence was being kept by Grindelwald. It read, "an extremely unpleasant man took my wallet in Paris. I have a plan to get it back, don’t worry. There are some new friends that are happy to help me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, that was the letter that made MACUSA realize Goldstein was not on a vacation. They put the pieces together after some event where she was caught tracking Credence and they stopped giving him her letters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>President Picquery even stopped by to lecture him about how guilty receiving coded letters about Credence made him look. He even got his own auror assigned to reviewing his mail, which was just as well. Nobody but Tina ever wrote him, anyways, so he was probably being paid handsomely to just toss her letters out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even he was surprised at how much more unbearable it was with no information whatsoever. He was itching to find out something, anything. Percival spent days just wondering what was happening, what led to Tina getting caught, what she was writing to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he got his break: one morning at a restaurant Percival frequented, a man left his paper at the table. He had quickly become a regular since his stint on house arrest, and was hoping that their new hire hadn’t been told about him yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly but carefully, he sat down at the still-messy table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Planning on eating the leftovers? Or just stealing my tip?" A familiar server with her hair tied back in a tight chignon tapped on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt embarrassed, and was more embarrassed when his voice came out sounding like a chastised kid, "sorry, I just wanted the paper."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know that I’m not supposed to let you have it," she spoke quietly, in the firm tone of an experienced elder sister, despite the fact that she was clearly still a teen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t make a move. He felt like a cornered animal. He had to know what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe I didn’t see anything," she said casually. "If you were to leave me a good tip, that is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival took out his wallet and handed the woman some bills. "Noemi, right?" he asked, hardly caring that he was being extorted by an eighteen-year-old.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yep." She quickly pocketed her money then started bussing the table, piling plates high into a seemingly-precarious stack, but he knew well by now that all the servers used charms to stack dishes. "Your usual? Sugar, but no cream, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, thanks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly searched the paper for information, knowing someone may recognize him at any moment. There was nothing about Credence, Grindelwald, Goldstein… Not even the Scamanders or Lestranges made an appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Noemi returned with his coffee, he half-jokingly asked, "is this a decoy paper?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi just looked confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There’s nothing in this paper." He pointed out. "Not even an outlandish blind item."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi's voice lowered. "You didn't know? MACUSA’s blacklisted a lot of what you’re looking for in the papers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The government lives to torment me these days."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s not you, sir." Noemi replied, setting down his full coffee cup, plus a carafe that the servers just knew to bring to him at this point. "Remember how that no-maj princess went missing and a lot of people popped up pretending to be her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Every pale, skinny boy in America is claiming to be Credence Barebone." She stepped closer to the table and shifted her weight to her left leg. "You missed five straight weeks of fake Barebones popping up from Georgia to Washington."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival groaned, resting his face in his hands. Of course something like this would happen: nothing would ever be easy for him, not after he let Grindelwald get the jump on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, he would be paying for this for the rest of his life. He was far from a religious man, but even he had to admit that there seemed to be a correlation between bad luck and bad deeds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi continued to speak, "she had to force them to stop printing anything about him. Total censorship. She's hoping that things will actually calm down if she forces them to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival rested his face in his hands, pressing his palms into his eye sockets. He let a good chunk of silence pass, at least a minute. He’d assumed Noemi had left, but then heard her ask, "do you want me to leave, or…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would you do?" He looked up at her, hovering awkwardly beside him. "If you were going insane with boredom and worry waiting for news that you’re apparently never going to get?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought for a moment, then said, "I was going to make a joke, but I don't think that's what you need. I honestly don't know, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, you’re trying to do your job and I’m being an asshole." He waved her away, needing the distance now that he felt a lump forming in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re not an asshole, you have a lot on your mind." She levitated the plate his sandwich was on from the pickup window. "You know, I think some would turn to religion in your shoes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m not religious,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think a lot of people may not be until they reach a breaking point."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ve been through worse without needing a god."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe you need a goddess." He heard the clink of his plate and watched her pocket his ticket. "Lunch is on me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, let me pay," he replied, figuring she’d certainly earned it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noemi flashed a smile. "You already did."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So here he was, in a hotel room, preparing to call upon a goddess, with a collection of random objects: cigars, fruit, animal bones, garlic, all laid out on a handmade altar. His expert (well, the Hellenic reconstructionist down the hall who was visiting from Sacramento) told him to be respectful and wear nice clothes, so after his nine p.m. bed check, he dressed in his herringbone suit, with obsidian jewelry and a rust shirt. He even pinned an orange rose and sage to his lapel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His altar was just the bench at the end of his bed covered with a black scarf, but he still surrounded it with black and orange candles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken him a while to work up the nerve to call the goddess Hecate, who he definitely still didn’t believe in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daeira, hipparete, nyktipolos," he called into the empty room. "I call upon you, beseech you…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the hell was he even doing? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was absolutely ridiculous. Even worse than the time he dug through a trash can to look for a newspaper. He just couldn’t handle not being in control. There was something genuinely wrong with him, which most likely required professional help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stood up, turning away from the altar, and crossed his arms. He’d never felt more pathetic in his life. He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tomorrow, he would go to President Picquery. She'd offered to find him someone to talk to when he got back, but he turned it down. Partly out of spite, and partly because he knew whoever he talked to may be instructed to report to Picquery for the sake of the trial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that risk would be worth it, if he could just stop obsessing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They would need advance notice. He could go tell whoever was stationed outside his hotel tonight, hopefully his official handler could bring him to MACUSA, if not then maybe Picquery would come to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival sat up and opened his eyes. He got off his bed and took a few steps before he realized that he was no longer in his hotel room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was dark. There were no features to the place, just… Gray, as far as he could see, with white fog hanging low around his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned, and found his bed was gone as well. Behind him was nothing but a vast charcoal expanse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clear he was in </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> realm, some sort of liminal space. But where was she? Where should he go?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he thought that, a light flickered on in the distance. Dadophoros, the torch-bearer. He walked toward the light, looking around him as he went. There were indistinct noises (maybe whispers?) with seemingly no source. Still, he pushed forward to the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly saw that he was approaching a monument, stairs leading up to a foyer. Ivy-covered, black marble pillars were at the top, what was beyond was obscured in shadow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the steps were a few black dogs, all sleeping. One opened her eyes and looked at him, then tilted her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, he walked up to the dog and patted her head softly, remembering that being kind to dogs was a form of an offering to the goddess. The dog leaned into the touch, and he scratched her behind the ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another dog woke, and he moved to pet that one as well. Now all were staring at him, though they didn't move out of their relaxed positions, simply waiting for their turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cycled through them, making sure each received the specific attention they preferred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first dog got up, and threw her head back, letting out a howl. One after the other four dogs did the same, only for them to suddenly stop. The scent of rose overcame him, and he heard a woman speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Percival Graves." He turned toward the voice to find… Nothing. She wasn't going to show herself</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dropped into a kneel, one knee on the ground which he now realized was soil. Part of him wanted to get up, keep his suit from being stained, but he fought his instinct and stayed kneeling. The first dog came up to him and laid down at his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Great Hecate, thank you for answering my call."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are a curious man," she sounded less than amused, possibly bordering on offended. "I have heard nothing from you for 50 years, yet you call me out of the darkness with a pile of trinkets?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wanted to get your attention," he explained, feeling a bit nervous</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And why did you need my attention so suddenly?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to bring Credence Barebone to me," he tried to speak calmly, not to sound as desperate as he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she replied quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her answer? "I cannot do so."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed further. "But why not?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no obligation to explain it to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t see him even for an hour?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she was curt, but not irritated, so he continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then can you tell me if he's safe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He, like all magical beings, is under my protection." He could tell that if he was able to see her, she would have knitted eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you take me to him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then tell me more, do you visit him? Do you watch over him? How is he?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He is under the care of a loyal follower."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is he doing? Is Grindelwald hurting him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence Barebone is none of your concern." She changed the subject quickly, speaking in an unamused tone, "I would think that you had more important things to ask me for, ones that would be more feasible for me to give you. Like a book you didn't have to submit a request to buy?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would expect that to sound like a joke, since it clearly was one, but she still sounded severe. It was deeply intimidating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just want to talk to him," Percival explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And I have told you already that you cannot have that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you take him a message?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you talk to him, will you just tell him I'm sorry?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," her tone was growing short, clearly she was getting tired of this but he wouldn't stop until he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about Queenie? Queenie Goldstein? Can you just talk to her? I can't send her a letter, but..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No!" The dogs started as her voice raised. "You will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> interfere in any way with Credence, directly or indirectly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I just want to know--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt sharp nails dig into his shoulder, and her voice was right by his ear, hissing quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen to me. You will, under no circumstances, make any further attempt to contact Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why not?" he pressed, mostly because he couldn't help himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you really not accept that maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a deity, know better than </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a human who isn't even allowed to read the news?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did have a point with that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly, so you will not try to find him, nor will you contact anyone associated with him in order to communicate with or influence him. I will handle you </span>
  <em>
    <span>myself</span>
  </em>
  <span> should you do this, do you understand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, ma'am."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"To seal our agreement, I need you to say it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will not interfere with Credence Barebone." Percival looked down at the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good." The hand on his shoulder loosened its grip. "Now, since you have agreed to behave yourself, I will bestow upon you a gift as a compromise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival assumed she was going to explain further, but she fell silent. "Well, what's the gift?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Open your eyes." Her words echoed around his head, and suddenly he realized his eyes </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> closed. He hadn't remembered doing that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When his eyes opened again, he was back in his hotel room, laying on the bed. He sat up quickly, looking around. The items were gone from his altar, and the candles were out, but plumes of smoke rose from their wicks, as though they were just blown out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck!" He threw his boutonniere onto the floor. Of course it would work, he would get to meet an actual goddess and she would just take his offerings without giving him jack shit in return. He felt like quite the chump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compulsively, he ran his hand through his hair, messing up the coif. He'd actually styled it for once, too. Usually these days he didn't bother, since he'd taken up his childhood nervous habit of messing with his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to remove his jewelry: his ring, tie clip, cufflinks, watch… and set them all on his night stand. The clock read almost one. How had an hour already passed? Did time move differently in that liminal space? Or was that his punishment for irritating a goddess?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He startled when a large spider climbed up over the side of his nightstand. It was bigger than a tarantula, but not fuzzy like one. Plus, it had spindly legs with no setae, each over four inches long, and it shone red, orange, blue, like a beetle. It crept over toward the bed, moving confidently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled himself together, trying not to let a bug get him riled up, but it was just so creepy. It was like no spider he'd ever seen, and suddenly he was struck with the thought that it was here for a reason. Was it a bug? Who was listening?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he debated what to do with it, he watched it jump onto the comforter and crawl over the bed. Wait, did it get bigger? It looked bigger than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The spider began to shake, and it was definitely growing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shit, shit!" he shouted, falling back onto the floor in shock. Percival scrambled to the door before he looked back at the spider to find that a humanoid was now seated on the edge of the bed, one with three sets of arms and an array of eyes covering his face. Besides those major differences, it looked like Credence, with the strong jaw, thick black hair on its head and chest, pointing down … Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it had a huge cock! Percival looked away politely, not wanting to stare, but the creature was oddly attractive, the extra arms and eyes weren't detracting from that in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, Percival Graves," he said with a smile. His voice even had the same quiet, measured timbre as Credence's.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you…" he paused  "Did Hecate send you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, she felt this would be a compromise." He smiled, and it felt deeply strange in a way Percival couldn't describe. "You can say what you want to say to me instead of him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What… What are you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A magical being, obviously. Same as an elf or a veela," he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I meant how do you look like Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can shapeshift."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you met him? Did she show you a photo or something?" The resemblance was uncanny, down to the scars on all six of his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have not met Credence, and do not know where he is located. You should refrain from asking further questions in that vein," he replied, though he didn't elaborate further. Percival guessed that it meant Hecate would be listening, or that he would be instructed to report back to her. Percival found himself staring at this Credence's nipples, which were very distracting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you put on some clothes, please?" Percival couldn't disguise his discomfort, he just hoped that he'd understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry." He summoned a robe, with particularly wide sleeves to accommodate his extra arms, then tied a sash around his waist and sat back down on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in complete silence. Percival felt offended that she would just send someone to humor him, listen to his worries, and give him some false closure, when the only thing he wanted was to know how Credence was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd never stopped to consider how obsessive he was being, how much this was controlling his life. Suddenly, Percival experienced an internal epiphany, like he was snapping out of a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In that moment he felt absolutely ridiculous and let out a long breath before saying, "you can just… Just leave." He sat down on his makeshift altar in defeat. "She proved her point, you don't need to waste more time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What point?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That this whole thing was absolutely ridiculous." He let himself chuckle, rubbing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is that?" The man, creature, thing asked, tilting his head curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know." Percival waved his hand, a vague gesture he hoped came across.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Explain it to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Me talking to him right now is basically the same as me talking to you- he's a completely different person than I think, with a whole life without me. It wouldn't help either of us to speak."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wouldn't?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was already silly for me to grow so attached to him…" He put his face in both hands, resting his elbows on his knees. "That was my big mistake. None of this would have happened if I didn't."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I doubt that's true."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, at least it would have happened differently. Maybe I wouldn't have even been involved." Somehow that hurt. The idea of not knowing Credence was painful to imagine, even now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You really care about him." The creature's voice was soft, sympathetic. His hand softly stroked Percival's shoulder </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's stupid, I know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm here to be Credence for you, let me help," the creature pressed, scooting closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How would you know what Credence would act like when you never met?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't need to, I'll just do what you want me to do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That seems… wrong..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you really want me to leave, I can. Obviously I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was considering it, but there were so many things that he had to get off his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, what’s your name? What should I call you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You call me Credence, that’s the whole reason I’m here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you’re clearly not Credence,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m assuming that you would want me around significantly less were I just a large spider…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely," Percival interjected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which is why I look like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you can shapeshift, then why don’t you get rid of all the extra stuff and look like Credence?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like looking like this." He scoffed. "I like being able to see more and do more. Why wouldn't I want that?" Seeing Credence, well, mostly Credence arguing was charming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you’re… You’re not Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you like the arms or the eyes more?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like neither, can you please just be regular, normal Credence?" Percival pleaded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> normal for me," he argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> supposed to be Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, close your eyes, then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because watching me shapeshift can make people queasy. Close them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival obeyed. It was silent for a few moments. But then he felt a breath on his cheek and a hand cautiously moved to rest on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he used that questioning tone, he could really believe that it was Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival opened his eyes, and the Credence he remembered was sitting next to him. He couldn't help but smile. "Hi, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello," Credence replied anxiously, just like he always used to sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you safe? Are you being taken care of?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but why would you care?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did you hit me? And say those things?" He hunched in on himself shoulders curving in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival lowered his voice, trying to be as non-threatening as possible. "It wasn’t me, it was Grindelwald. He took my face and used it to hurt you. I'm so sorry, I couldn't stop him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would he do that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He wants you, your powers. He wants to use them." Percival scooted closer. "He has an agenda, and you're so powerful that he thinks you could help him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don’t lie to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That wasn't me, I promise you. I would never do anything like that to you. And I can prove it. It was in the papers, he's being charged for it," he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That… really wasn’t you?" His eyes were hopeful, but hesitantly so. Percival wanted to hear it so bad, but he knew it was just part of the game. The real Credence wouldn't be this easy to convince.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't," Percival was emphatic, getting lost in the scene. "He wanted to test you, see how much power you had. And our relationship was a good way to do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you didn't…" His mouth hung open for a second, eyebrows furrowing as though he was trying to process a thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't what, Credence?" He asked, even though he knew what he'd meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn't want my… powers…" He drummed his fingers on his knee in the pause. "Why did you talk to me? Why would you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The way you were treated by that woman made me sick," he breathed in deeply, feeling enraged just thinking about it. "We were investigating her cult's activity, and Tina Goldstein burst into my office one day to tell me about how you and all of the children she supposedly cared for were being mistreated, so I investigated off the clock because I knew she would do something stupid…" He trailed off, remembering that a month after he disappeared, she actually attacked that awful woman. They should have been very thankful that was all she did, considering that their first meeting about their clandestine project she'd threatened to grab a knife and "take care of Mary Lou Barebone the no-maj way" if he didn't help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When did I… see you last?" Credence asked cautiously, testing the waters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We went to the pier." Percival itched to hold his hand. "I got you a sandwich and you gave the chicken on it to a stray cat. I called you a kind soul." He gently set his hand palm-up on his knee closest to Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence cautiously slid his hand into Percival's and smiled softly. He wished that things could really be this easy, that Credence would just accept his explanation and warm back up to him, that things would go back to normal somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wouldn't happen, but he could pretend for tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, Credence." He shifted so he could look at him directly, their knees now touching. "For everything. I couldn’t protect you from your mother, and I couldn’t protect you from that man. I hope you can forgive me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t have to be sorry." Credence looked down at the floor. "It's not like it was your fault."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I promised I would help you, but I didn’t."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You did," he insisted. "So much. I… I didn’t accept who I was before I met you, and you helped me be okay with it. I appreciate seeing a successful man who’s… who’s like me, who told me I can do magic. It makes me hopeful. You mean so much to me…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to tell him not to say that. It was wrong for this Credence to forgive him, comfort his guilty conscience, but he couldn't. Percival needed it so badly, but it wasn't real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're such a great man, helping me and so many other people. And I appreciate that with so many more important and interesting people around, you still chose to be kind to me, be my friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're important and interesting, Credence. I love spending time with you." Percival had wanted to say that for so long. He had spent so much time wishing he'd just gotten to say it, and even though it wasn't to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> Credence it felt good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You make my life better, I feel like you would be bored of me. I'm so old…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not, I've missed you so much," Credence twined their fingers together. "I don't feel like anyone understands me like you do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you too," he felt himself smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I hug you? Is that okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course, Credence. You always can," he said, but still somehow wasn't prepared when Credence took his hand back and wrapped him in a hug. Percival's arm was awkwardly pressed between them, but the hug was loose enough to move it to rest on Credence's back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he breathed in, he smelled the smoke of patchouli and sandalwood incense, as well as rosewater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence tightened the hug, now that it felt less awkward. His hands gripped Percival's back and his thumbs rubbed soothing circles that he could feel through his jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was comforting and familiar. He was instantly transported back to a simpler time, one where he was just a man trying to help a beaten-down young wizard, before everything went to shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hug was ending. Credence pulled away and on instinct, he pressed his lips to Credence's temple as they pulled apart. He'd done it a few times before, when Credence had cried or asked to come home with him. He lingered there, running a hand over the man's jaw and down his neck to his chest. It suddenly struck him that something was wrong when his hand met warm skin and smooth silk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn't Credence, Credence smelled like tallow soap and sweat, he wore rough cotton worn thin with overuse. Percival was talking to a stranger, and it was getting out of hand. "We need to stop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is going somewhere I'm not comfortable with," Percival turned away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My feelings are… Not exactly appropriate. I should have told you to go home, this is wrong, I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to pull his hand away, but it was held fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't understand," Credence--no, the creature--furrowed his eyebrows. "I want to give you what you want, and if you want that--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want you to feel obligated, or compelled, I don't…" he felt emotions well up into his chest, getting stuck in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't feel compelled," the creature replied, not waiting for him to move the conversation forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you have to be here--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do anything. I can do whatever I want, nobody is making me stay here and talk to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She sent you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>She</span>
  </em>
  <span> has no expectations of me in this situation, except that I do only what I feel comfortable to do, and I feel comfortable to do this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, unable to respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature rested a hand on his leg, and spoke in a gentle voice, "you're going through something, and you need comfort. I want to give that to you. Will you let me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shook his head. "I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can, if you want to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival covered his eyes and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're afraid of rejection," the creature said finally. "You think Credence will tire of you and leave you, which is possible, but not something you have to worry about with me because I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
  <span> you aren't Credence. It feels like I’m taking advantage of him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't take advantage of someone who's not even here," the creature pointed out. "He's not here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am. And I want this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Even though you aren't you right now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really ever do this in my default form," he paused and chuckled to himself a bit. "Strangely, very few humans want to kiss enormous spiders."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't reproduce as a spider?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed, a genuinely happy laugh, booming out of his chest. It was odd, a little uncanny, seeing that. It felt good, though. He could never have imagined the visual of Credence laughing like this, with his whole body. Maybe he did this, though. Maybe he was somewhere safe and happy, laughing loudly and impolitely. God, he was fucked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry." The creature said, though he didn't sound even a little genuine. "I didn't expect you to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Was that offensive? I'm so sorry," Percival apologized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, it's fine. I was just surprised." Percival guessed he must have been telling the truth, he was still smiling and didn't seem offended. "If you're really curious we can talk about this more later, but for us reproduction doesn't involve humans at all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what do you do with humans?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Steal their energy and eat them, mostly,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You… Eat humans?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only the ones that piss me off," he replied with a mischievous smile. It was cute on Credence, but he couldn't help but feel a little threatened. He knew it showed on his face because the creature said, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm joking, Percival," and laughed again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he loved seeing that. "Most of us don't eat humans anymore, but we're getting off track here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That offended Percival a bit. "I'm just interested in you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature raised his brows incredulously. "Actually, you're deflecting so you don't have to think about something that makes you uncomfortable. I get the impression that you have a lot of hangups."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Boy, that was an understatement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just follow your instincts, don't overthink." He scooted closer, their thighs pressed tight together. His closest hand moved so it was behind Percival, so their bodies were closer. "What do you want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged, looking at the floor. The creature's chest rested against his shoulder, and his body heat was making Percival uncomfortably warm in his full suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Talk to me. I'm not going to force you to do anything, I just want to know what you're thinking."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked up, finding Credence's dark eyes staring at him. He looked back down, so he didn't have to make eye contact. "You already know," he mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence's hand moved up Percival's back, coming to rest on the back of his neck, thumb rubbing circles into his skin. "I want you to </span>
  <em>
    <span>communicate</span>
  </em>
  <span> it to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, "I just have a hard time believing that you or Credence would want me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He did want you, though, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wanted to say, '</span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>,' because he never allowed himself to believe it, but even without access to the news, he was aware they had reported extensively on their improper relationship, as well as Credence's significantly </span>
  <em>
    <span>less</span>
  </em>
  <span> proper relationship with Grindelwald-as-Graves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued speaking before Percival answered, probably for the best. "And more importantly, I want you now. What is making it hard for you to believe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is sick and pathetic. Why would you want me when I'm…" he trailed off, feeling like he might start to cry. "This is why I never did anything with him, I'm a disgusting old man."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not," the creature assured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How can you be attracted to me right now?" He gestured to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've been vulnerable and open with me in a way that's incredibly endearing. And you're handsome, you know that." The hand on his neck moved up to run through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he did know that, considering how popular he usually was with men. But right now, trapped in a hotel room and losing his grip, he didn't really feel it. "You think I'm handsome?" He finally looked back up at Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on, Percival. You're far too old for that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just… Wanted to hear it I guess."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied with a soft smile. "I'll reward your honesty." His hand smoothed over Percival's hair, "I've seen pictures of you in the paper, your hair looks better without so much of that pomade in it." His hand slid down to Percival's face, cupping it softly. "Your eyes are bright, inviting. And your skin is so soft. Your eyebrows make you look a little angry sometimes, but it's charming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Credence's hand moved down Percival's chest, he felt his cock harden a bit, and desperately tried to will it away. There was no reason he needed to make this weirder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a great body." His hand accidentally brushed Percival's nipple through his suit, and his brain just about jumped out of his skull. Then it moved down further to grasp his waist, as his eyes hungrily roved over Percival's body, like he could see through his suit. It wasn't helping his uncomfortable arousal situation in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It must be genetic, I'm sure they restrict your movements."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I lift weights sometimes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence ran his hand up Percival's arm, squeezing his bicep, then looked into his eyes, "Percival, do you believe I'm attracted to you now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, unsure how his voice would sound if he had to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to kiss me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, he nodded, and without meaning to he looked at Credence's lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to," his voice came out a bit breathy, like he was excited. "Can I have a kiss? Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival closed his eyes and breathed in deep, building up his courage. He didn't know why he needed to, but it just felt important. After counting to five, he finally kissed the man in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was quick and chaste. As he pulled away he opened his eyes to see the creature's imitation of Credence's face instead of Credence's actual face. His heart hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m not sure I can do this," he admitted, running his hand over his mouth nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," he replied, even though he wasn't sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature pulled him into another kiss, slipping his long tongue inside Percival's mouth. He moaned softly, and Percival melted into it, running his hands through Credence's hair. It was still that odd cut his adoptive mother forced on him. He had to have changed it by now, what did the real Credence’s hair look like?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, this is, uh…" Percival shook his head. "Not right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Even without the eyes and arms?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?" Credence repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I already said no," Percival replied nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop, then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature let the silence linger, waiting for Percival to answer, but Percival couldn't say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I feel like you're thinking too much about all of this. You're in your head, get out of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't, it's not like there's a door."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature interrupted him with another kiss, taking a hold of his tie to pull him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It reminded Percival of a rendezvous near a speakeasy, he'd offered to bring Credence and they hadn't even made it inside before Credence pulled him aside and kissed him, rough and inexperienced, their faces smushed together oddly. This was nothing like that, this Credence knew the activity well, and was cupping his face with both hands. The other Credence, the real one, was too excited at the novelty, opening his mouth right away and using too much teeth like he wanted to skip to the good part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away and murmured, "stop it, Percival," then gently kissed him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can't," he said into the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can," the creature chuckled, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Open your mouth for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I--" Percival didn't get to finish, he found his mouth full of tongue, running over his palate and teeth. The hands on his face moved, one on his neck, the thumb over his pulse. The other hand smoothed through his hair, fingers brushing his ear. It finally rested on his shoulder</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was nervous, but it felt good. He hadn't had any physical contact in months, there was no dating under house arrest. How much he'd missed it was a surprise, though. It wasn't as though he'd gone out with many men before the Grindelwald incident, but now that he wasn't working he didn't even get to shake hands or receive a pat on the back. He'd never been a particularly touchy person, but being deprived of almost all human contact had left him starved for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you," he paused as Credence kissed him again. "Can you keep touching my hair?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, then moved both of his hands into Percival's hair, which was longer than he usually preferred. One of them ran through the strands, the other just stroked him gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned, loving the feeling of blunt fingernails running over his scalp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away for breath, but didn't stop playing with his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That feels so good," he murmured, then kissed across Credence's cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is this all you wanted to do?" The hand in his hair dropped to his knee, moving up his thigh teasingly. "Or do you want me to take care of that too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't ask you for that," Percival replied automatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not, I'm offering."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt the hand on his thigh burning through his pants. "I'm still not understanding this," he admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What aren't you understanding?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's happening," Percival answered meekly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's happening is I want to have sex with you," the creature stroked Percival's thigh "I want to suck your cock, and I want you to fuck me. Do you want that too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," he whispered and kissed the man. Hearing Credence's voice say those words was so good. He'd tried to initiate sex, but would never say anything so explicit, instead using euphemisms, then grabbing at him when he ran out. He pulled himself together a bit to reply, "I don't… Usually have a cock like you're thinking of."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," the creature </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have something I can wear if you want."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That works," Credence kissed him. "Can I touch you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival answered, but was still startled when a hand cupped his mons through his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence chuckled a bit. His fingertips traced up the seam of Percival's crotch, pressing in gently, and the man whispered, "oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his mouth to ask about that, but ended up gasping instead as Credence's hand stroked him harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Am I doing it alright?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he replied. Then Credence stroked right over his cock and his breath hitched. He added, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span> yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed lowly, and continued to kiss Percival. He was still stroking through his pants, focuses right over his cock, and Percival felt a wet spot growing in his shorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is good, but I don't want to ruin my pants." Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence moved to kneel on the floor in front of Percival, gently putting a hand on each of Percival's knees. His thumbs rubbed circles into Percival's thighs. "Are you still feeling distracted?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A little," Percival's words came out breathlessly. On instinct, his knees came together for the sake of modesty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence's hands moved between Percival's legs, grabbing onto his thighs so he could push them apart and shift so he was seated in between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just those hands forcefully spreading his knees made his cock throb. They were sliding slowly up his thighs, their thumbs pressing into his flesh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature's hands got almost all the way to his cock before he brought them to the floor. "Tell me if you need me to stop, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up, his eyes nervous. He was suddenly Credence again, speaking in that part-whisper, "Mister Graves, I want you." He rested his cheek on Percival's knee, hands stroking up his calves. "Will you let me touch you? Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to," he reminded Credence, feeling like he had to say it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, it's not like that. I want you so badly. I think about you at night, I touch…" He paused, closing his eyes to steel himself, and he took a deep breath through his mouth. "I touch myself, just thinking about touching you, even though I know it’s bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not bad, Credence." Percival stroked his hair softly. He'd imagined this conversation many times, knew it would be inevitable with a young man deprived of a normal upbringing. Even he had to admit that it was frequently in this context, what with Credence being so affectionate and… curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you do that?" He ducked his head, blushing exactly the way Credence always used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival replied, "I do masturbate."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked up, still seated at Percival's feet. He just looked at Percival for a second, breathing quickly. "Will you show me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His instinct was to push Credence away, but he had to remember that this wasn't Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t touch you all the way down there,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, show me here." One of Credence's hands snaked up his leg to his inner thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to touch myself?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence nodded, biting his lip eagerly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival untucked his shirt, unbuttoning from the bottom, enough to work his pants and shorts down. He slipped his fingers through his folds, stroking himself lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence was watching with rapt attention, lips parted. The sight was sexy, his pupils moving as they followed his hand. His fingertip slid inside  and Credence moaned quietly. He sat up on his knees to get a little closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, can I taste you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t have to," he said again, still feeling it necessary to remind the creature he could back out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to, so badly. I think about it when I… do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay." Percival spread his legs so Credence could lean in closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He brought his hands up to part Percival's lips, first placing a soft kiss on the tip of his dick.. Percival tensed his legs to keep from pushing into Credence's face. Credence just smiled and licked up his fluids, moaning when he tasted it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s so good, Mister Graves." Credence sighed and sucked Percival's cock hard, then licked long strokes over it. His eyes fell closed, his fluffy lashes caressing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re doing very well, Credence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his mouth, pressing the flat of his tongue over Percival's dick, then flicking his tongue over it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s…" Percival trailed off, throwing his head back. "Amazing. You’re so good at this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence let Percival's cock fall from his lips, "I practiced for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you mean with other men?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d never considered it, but the idea of Credence on his knees in an alley letting men fuck his mouth to be ready was deeply arousing. Still, that would be very, very unlikely. Credence was so painfully shy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, sir." He blushed. "My fingers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow that was just as good, imagining him with his long, elegant fingers shoved in his mouth as deep as they’d go, saliva running down his chin…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A fang accidentally grazed his cock, and he realized how lucky he was that they weren’t that sharp, he didn’t even think about it before he let the creature suck him like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence." He gently ran his hands through Credence's hair. "You feel so good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moaned around Percival's cock, then swallowed. Percival threw his head back. It had been far, far too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The noises that Credence was making suddenly changed. He was breathing faster, letting out nasal grunts and small moans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked down and noticed that Credence’s right shoulder was moving with his hand in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, are you touching yourself?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shuddered, bobbing his head the tiniest bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s not a real answer." God help him he wanted to hear Credence say that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved away from Percival's cock, then swirled his tongue around it before answering, "yes, sir. I am, I’m sorry, it’s just so…" He trailed off, biting his lip through a moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay. Come here, I want to touch you too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence stood with his shoulders back, confident. He only saw the real Credence do that once. It was late at night, when he’d snuck out by some miracle, and was waiting for Percival by a street light. His eyes were locked on the sky, gazing at the stars with a peaceful smile on his face, hands shoved into his pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival just stared at him for what felt like an eternity before Credence looked his way and went right back to slouching, like the spell had suddenly been broken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This Credence was not hunching over under his gaze, he was standing confidently. It looked good on him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sit on my lap," he commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence straddled him, his long legs bending awkwardly. This position held his robe open, displaying his dick beautifully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival undid the tie and Credence shrugged the garment down his shoulders, so the neck rested on his biceps. He ran his hands from Credence's thighs to his torso, settling them on his neck so he could use his thumbs to stroke Credence's jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're beautiful."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked down, smiling softly. "Really?" he asked, not disbelieving, only pleasantly surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival replied emphatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re beautiful too," Credence lowered his eyes bashfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival kissed him, running his tongue along his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away, but not fully. He left only enough space between them to speak. "Mister Graves, I want you in me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled back so he could look Credence in the eye. "Have you ever…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence interrupted, "I know I want it. I have for a long time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can do that, I've done it before," Percival replied, feeling butterflies hop into his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please." Credence kissed him roughly. "I want it. I’ve wanted it so badly, please."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was… Exactly what he assumed what would happen if he was with Credence. Just what he’d been thinking Credence would realistically act like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Credence, but not for him to be diminutive or insecure. That was the reason he never did anything with Credence when they were meeting in secret, even though Credence initiated plenty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to wait. The whole reason he even approached Credence was because he could tell the man had magic, or at the very least magical blood. Credence could be so much more than no-maj society had made him. He wanted Credence to be confident, strong. Like he should have been, had he been raised in the magical community.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His plan was to help support Credence once the New Salem Society was shut down, set him up in an apartment, get him a tutor to catch him up, introduce him to the world he belonged in, and only when he was able to make an informed decision would Percival entertain his advances.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wanted Credence to be his equal and this wasn’t it, but any Credence was better than no Credence after weeks alone and wondering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival kissed him lightly. "Let me get some things, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence looked back at him with a curious expression on his face. "You’re not into this." His tone had suddenly changed. It was the creature talking for himself now, and he leaned back to address Percival. "Your energy…" He furrowed his brows. "You’re not in it. You’re acting out what you think you’re supposed to want. What do you really want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An image popped into his head, one he thought about in his now infinite free time: Credence sitting above him, Percival's legs wrapped around his waist, with the obscurus whipping through the room. Credence's eyes would be that ghostly white from that photo in his file as he fucked Percival hard. He would reach up for Credence, only for his hand to be knocked away and held to the bed with the obscurial's power. His arms would test his bonds, only enough to know he wasn’t going anywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to feel Credence's power, the power he suffered for, and let it bring him to his knees. He wanted him to harness it for something beautiful and obscene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature smiled. "I see. You want him to take control?" He leaned back, squaring his shoulders. "You want to be overpowered."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That’s… That’s not…" he trailed off. It was completely accurate, but he didn’t want to admit that. He never had admitted that he wanted to be dominated, it wasn’t something expected for him. Percival had obviously not always been a man, and while he was comfortable with his gender and genitals, he still felt like his desires weren't exactly masculine. It was probably old-fashioned to think it, but a real man wasn't supposed to want those things. Most men like him were interested in being as masculine as possible, and that included in the bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to say something, something that didn't confirm or deny the creature's statement. "What makes you think that? How would you even know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to confess, my kind have a little bit of a talent for knowing what people want," he paused, making concerted eye contact. "I haven't been using it, but I need to know, I don't want to do anything that you're not okay with."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran his hands over his face to hide his blush, though he realized his ears were probably red too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not judging you, Percival. A lot of the people I have sex with want that. It's the twenties, it's not shameful to want things that might be unexpected for a man of your age and status." He ran his hands up Percival's chest, finally resting them behind his neck. "I did ask you to tell me, though. Why didn't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm embarrassed, obviously!" Percival turned his face away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence put a hand on Percival's cheek, using it to move his face forward. "I know, but I haven't judged you for anything else so far, why would I judge you for that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't say it was rational," Percival replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell me now." He leaned in close, stroking Percival's cheek. "What do you really want?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to be dominated," he admitted. "I like the thought of being overpowered by powerful people."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don’t have an obscurus, but I do have these." He removed his robe to show his four extra arms had reappeared. "Will that work for you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he replied. Credence held a hand out, and Percival allowed himself to be pulled into a standing position. He felt his pants pool on the floor, and was suddenly very aware of the fact that his shorts were still around his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence distracted him quickly by holding his face in another pair of hands.. He lowered his voice, speaking in a sympathetic tone that could easily be construed as mocking, "poor thing, thinking you have to pretend to be rough and commanding when all you want is to hand over control." He stroked Percival's cheek softly. "You just want to be told what to do, given the rules so you know exactly how to behave, right? Maybe be told what a good boy you are when you do what I say?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed around the lump in his throat and whispered, "I want that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do?" The creature tilted his head and grinned, showing off his fangs. "I can definitely do that for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gripped Percival's hair, tilting his head back, as he kissed him. His fangs grazed over Percival's bottom lip, and that electric jolt of pain went right to his cock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned into his mouth and deepened the kiss, trying to chase that feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away enough to ask, "do you like pain?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," it came out tentative, almost whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a chuckle, then dove back in, making sure to bite down a bit on Percival's tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can…" he stopped to moan into Credence's mouth when his hand stroked over Percival's cock. "You can bring the eyes back, too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, can I?" he teased, pressing chaste kisses to his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Percival worked out, only a little muffled by Credence's mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled away entirely, holding Percival away with a hand on his chest. "Ask me nicely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please return your eyes to </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he very intently emphasized that word. "I liked how you looked with them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Empty spaces on his face tore open, revealing his other eyes. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> unsettling, but it didn't dampen his arousal in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what do we say when we get what we want?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They kissed again, and the creature bit down on his lip again as he pulled away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you want me to call you?" The creature pulled back to ask. "Mister Graves isn’t really something you call someone you’re taking."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival was silent, averting his gaze as a blush overcame his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You like it." He grinned, his sharp teeth on full display. "Being reminded how much power you have, what you’re ceding when you let someone else be in control." The creature got up off his lap, his cock bouncing. "You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scrambled to his knees, not even bothering to pull his shorts back up. His hands flew to Credence's cock, guiding it to his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence bit his lip, staring down at Percival. He looked uneasy, back in character.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you not… want me to?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ve never… Nobody has ever…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s okay." Percival ran his hands up Credence's legs, feeling his hair go from coarse at his calves to soft at his thighs. He slowly kissed up Credence's legs, lingering on his inner thighs when a soft shudder wracked Credence's body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival didn’t want to do anything too quickly, so he gently laid a kiss on Credence's balls, then his cock before licking him root to tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence jolted, letting out a shout. "Oh, oh, Mister Graves, that feels…" He trailed off, his eyes falling closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival eased his cock into his mouth, a little at a time. Credence thrust his hips, rocking forward in small movements that wouldn’t choke Percival.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt so good, doing this for Credence. The weight on his tongue, the heat in his mouth, the taste of his precome… Everything was perfect, obscenely so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence moved his head with a grip on his hair so they were making eye contact now. He was panting, his eyes wide and dilated. At this angle, his throat closed a little more, it was harder to keep from gagging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For his part, Credence had stopped thrusting, but he sort of missed it. It had been distracting him from the pain in his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival tried to turn his eyes toward Credence's cock, but Credence stopped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we should do this in bed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was breathing heavily, and his face was hot, but he replied, "okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence sat down on the bed with his back against the headboard. Percival suddenly realized he was still on the floor and stood, buttoning himself back up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Leave those," Credence commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right," Percival undid his buttons again, letting his pants pool on the ground, but still pulled up his shorts. His neck was cramping too, so he rolled it a few times as he approached the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was moving purposefully, or he'd lose his nerve. Percival had to focus on the moment, not any of the silly little things that would distract him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully, he settled between Credence's legs, stroking them gently, from his knobby ankles, up his calves, and onto his thighs. He focused on the feeling of each hair, the way the hard planes of his shins gave way to muscled calves, to his soft thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt more calm than he had in a long time. It was truly peaceful, getting lost in Credence's body like this. Finally he took hold of Credence's cock, stroking it a few times. Then he rested his hand at the base, settled in the thick hair on his torso, and licked the head. Credence shuddered, and Percival felt a jolt run through his body into his dick. He pressed wet kisses up the shaft, then sucked on the tip, releasing it with a wet pop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Credence sighed. His knees pressed inward, holding onto Percival with his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He worked Credence's cock into his mouth, swiping with his tongue as he went. When he bobbed his head, he sucked and the lewd slurping noise he made was enough to make him want to touch himself, but he didn't want to do something Credence hadn't given him permission for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lord</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he keened loudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked down at his cock to focus on his task, but Credence corrected him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I want to look you in the eyes." A hand ran through his hair, and he felt the weight of his bangs shift away from his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival obeyed, even though his jaw was beginning to hurt. He hadn’t been with someone this big in far too long to be as enthusiastic as he was, but there would be plenty of time to regret it later. Not like he would be any more busy tomorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival pulled off, stopping to catch his breath. He replaced his mouth with his hand, still making sure to look Credence directly in the eyes, even though it felt a little too intimate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really wanted Credence to come on his face, mark him, ruin him, but he also wasn’t ready for this to end. Percival needed more than this, so much more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me come on your face."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival sucked up the rest of the precum on Credence's cock, then let it go to stroke it with his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature got right back into character, breathing hard and letting out cute little pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait… Mister Graves, I’m… Going to c—" he trailed off into a moan, throwing his head back as he came into Percival's open mouth and onto his face. There was so much of it, dripping down his cheek and onto his chest and the bed. He swallowed, finding it tasted… strange. Sweeter, kind of like a pear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m so sorry!" The creature was really selling this scenario. He was blushing up to his hairline and wringing his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s okay, really. These things happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It just felt so good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really, it’s okay. Can you come again?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As many times as I want," Credence whispered. His tone sounded like he might wink, and suddenly Percival wondered whether he would wink with one eye or all the eyes on one side of his face…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This looks…" He ran a hand over Percival's forehead, then dragged his fingers through the cum on his face, "good. It’s… sexy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence offered his fingers to Percival, who took them into his mouth and sucked. He was again struck by the odd taste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is it sweet?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Evolutionary trait," Credence said, with no elaboration. "Do you have a towel?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moved to get up, but was stopped with a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can get it, bathroom?" He stood, still resting his hand on Percival's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival just nodded, and Credence walked to the bathroom, while Percival took his jacket off to keep cum from dripping onto it. His shirt was a lost cause at this point, but he didn’t take it off yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence returned with a towel, he started by wiping Percival's face. It was damp and warm, keeping his face from getting sticky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry about your shirt." He dabbed at the fabric, trying to get out as much as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s fine." Percival cleared his throat, which was a bit sore. "Probably worth it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you need some time? Or would you like to continue?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Continue, please," Percival started untucking his shirt, knowing he'd have to get it off soon anyway..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then get on all fours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival rushed to comply, abandoning his jacket on the edge of the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves." Credence raised his eyebrows. "You didn’t even take your shirt off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry." He sat up and began unbuttoning his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I said all fours," his tone wasn’t quite commanding, but it was the most stern he’d ever heard the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival got back into position, looking down at the bed to focus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence gently ran his hands over Percival's thighs. "I’ve never done anything like this before. Will you tell me if I do something wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sure you won’t," Percival reassured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence added, "I just may not know the right things to say. All I know is what I imagined you saying to me. What if it’s not right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence…" His heart hurt. "Can I turn around?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," Credence replied shyly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival turned and got up on his knees, finding Credence blushing heavily and biting his lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Say what you think is right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay." He smiled, and Percival noticed the eyes on his lower face crinkled up</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I kiss you?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence nodded, though his face was the picture of confusion. "You're asking me for permission?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re the one in control."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence dragged him forward by his collar, sliding his tongue right into Percival's mouth. His other hands started stripping the shirt from Percival's body. He tossed his shirt from the bed and moved to pull his own shorts off, but Credence stopped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not yet." Credence smiled, running a hand through Percival's chest hair. "Back on your hands and knees first, facing away from me?" His tone went up at the end, partly unsure, partly teasing. Percival obeyed immediately, and felt hands move to caress his thighs and ass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never imagined you would do this for me,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would…" He wanted to say he would do anything for Credence, but this wasn’t really Credence, and if he said that… "I, uh, I'm full of surprises."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I imagined you would rather be with someone more handsome and smart than me. Someone who dressed nicely and knew how to impress you," he chuckled darkly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, you’re plenty handsome and smart, and you impress me so much. I've always thought so highly of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Am I impressing you now?" Credence asked mischievously, as he used his thumbs to spread Percival's still-clothed ass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded but stayed silent, focusing on the feeling of Credence's hands massaging his backside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Take off the rest of them, but don’t move."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival charmed away his underwear, leaving himself naked, legs spread open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, sir." Credence pulled his cheeks apart to look at him closer. The sudden feeling of a warm, wet tongue over his asshole made him jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t like it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn’t expecting that," Percival explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So can I keep doing it?" he asked, but didn't wait for Percival to respond before Credence went back to licking him, delving his tongue inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still mumbled, "yeah," in between embarrassing noises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival had never particularly been an ass-play man, but the creature was very enthusiastic, and it was making him squirm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hold still, Mister Graves." Credence placed a hand on his lower back authoritatively, while another spread his cheeks for better access</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re teasing me," he pointed out, despite the fact that he still pushed back onto Credence's tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled away, but left both hands on his ass. "Oh, you didn't want me to fuck you here?" he asked, running a thumb over his rim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Percival mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hands on his ass moved down a bit, and his thumbs pulled his lips apart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, you're so ready for me." A single finger moved through his lips, from right under his cock, over his entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shuddered, clenching his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Credence ran his tongue over Percival, up and down over his entrance a few times, then circled it. He slipped inside easily, Percival was slick and open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently the creature had a longer tongue than he realized. It felt so good inside, fucking him open. Too soon it was gone and Percival shuddered when one finger slid inside in its place, teasing its way deeper. It was too slow, not enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he begged after what felt like ages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought you wanted me to be in control." His voice was so casual, so calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence draped himself over his back to bring his lips close to Percival's ear. "So let me have control."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I just…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence interrupted, "do you want to be a good boy for me?" He nuzzled Percival gently, his hard cock pressed against his backside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He obviously replied, "yes," because he truly, deeply did want that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So listen to me and I’ll reward you," he paused to press a kiss to Percival's temple. "I know you can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," he replied, steeling himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried hard to hold still, but Credence was… So very good at this. It was definitely the fact that the creature knew everything he wanted already, and rather than forcing him to admit all of his desires, which he had never done, not directly. He'd only ever found the right people, so he wasn’t required to admit how much he wanted to submit. All he had to do was agree to let them fulfill their desires.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should have been doing this all along, really. He knew no shortage of legilimens through work, and it would be easy to meet more…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he would have to consider that later, because now Credence was using both his tongue and fingers, holding his thighs open with three firm hands. He clutched at the sheets to try and stay still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re doing so well, Mister Graves. You’re such a good boy for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," Percival replied quietly. He shuddered, feeling another finger slip inside. Credence's tongue swirled around his fingers over his rim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re very welcome." Credence's lips were inches away from his hole as he spoke, then they pressed a sloppy kiss to him as he added a third finger. Percival clamped down, trembling as he tried not to push back and urge those fingers deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do I need to pin you down?" Credence asked, his tone lightly mischievous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stopped for a second. That sounded very good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, pin me down. I want that." He sounded wrecked, desperate, and he felt it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival gathered his courage. "Please hold me down?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don’t sound so sure,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want it. Pin me, sit on me, tie me up…" Shit, that was an even better idea. Being tied up, totally at Credence's mercy? He’d genuinely dreamed of that, being taken while the obscurus tied his hands, feeling the crackle of magic over his skin…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can tie you up," he offered quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, please," Percival breathed out in a rush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt Credence move off of the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like this? On your hands and knees?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just tie my hands behind my back." He held them together for what seemed like way too long before Credence brought his arms over his head instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You need to be able to balance, I don’t want to knock you over." Credence was gently binding Percival's wrists. He looked at it and realized it was spider silk, delicate little threads wrapping over and over, until he felt that they could hold his arms together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you need to get out, you can just pull hard. It won't trap you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied obediently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re so polite." He patted Percival's ass lightly. "Keep it up for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded against the bed, then craned his neck to see what Credence was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was looking down at Percival, stroking his own cock with one hand and opening up a bottle of lubricant with two others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence noticed him, and leaned over to gently guide his face back. "Face forward, and relax. You look like you're dreading it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So many hands, too many hands, were suddenly on him. One pushed down each shoulder, one rested on his back, two were holding his cheeks apart. The last hand thrust three lubricated fingers inside him, then added a fourth. He was ready, so ready...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence?" he began, trying not to sound too demanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m here, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran through him at the formality. Being called sir by a man who was forcefully holding him down and fingering him open was one of the most erotic things he could think of and he knew that Credence (well, the creature) had been saving it for the right moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck it, he was going to beg, "please, I need more, I need you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled his hand away, replacing it with his dick, just barely thrusting in. His hands shuffled around, one clutching his hair tightly, one holding down his head. Another two hands were on his back and shoulders, and the last was fondling his sack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The feeling of so many hands, holding him down, touching him, filling him… It was addictive being controlled so overwhelmingly. He just went boneless and let Credence be in control. There was nothing for him to think about: all he had to do was melt into the exquisite sensations he was feeling, and he let out a high-pitched moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival heard a small chuckle from behind himself before the creature pulled out slowly, then thrust back in hard. His lover started a teasing pace, far too shallow and far too slow, one pair of hands lightly stroking his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival tried to meet his thrusts, only to find himself held in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sit still, Mister Graves," Credence admonished, patting his ass lightly as though in warning. Was he going to get spanked by Credence?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, I need more," he begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not until you behave. Good boys say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.'" Credence spanked him hard, just one time, but he still moaned. Clenching around Credence's length inside him made Credence thrust a little deeper, but then he drew out entirely, leaving Percival empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Credence, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Percival turned his head, trying to look at Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good boys also don’t talk like that." A quick swat landed on each of his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m sorry, sir," he apologized, turning back around. Percival shivered when Credence thrust his cock against his entrance, but didn't go in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don’t do it again." A hand rubbed his ass softly, right where he'd been struck before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won’t, I won't," he replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You won't, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Credence asked, pulling further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sir, I won't </span>
  <em>
    <span>sir</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I just need you in me, please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence slid in slowly, agonizingly slowly, but it felt perfect when he was fully inside, their hips flush. He wasn’t in for long, Credence pulled out too quickly, leaving him empty again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time he sat still, focused on his breathing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When you have clear rules, you’re so well-behaved, Mister Graves."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," his voice trailed off into a long moan when Credence slid back inside, all the way again, so deep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think my good boy deserves a reward, do you agree?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breathing was ragged, he couldn't trust himself to speak, so he just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I see you?" Percival almost didn't remember to add, "please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence pulled out, then flipped Percival over easily, like it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was overwhelming being manhandled like that, like he was a piece of paper that could be flipped over with two fingers. He couldn’t compare in strength, he was totally at Credence's mercy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted so badly to swear, but instead he cleared his throat and said, "thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The idea that Credence could do anything he wanted and Percival had no ability to stop it was deeply arousing, but what was even hotter was that nothing he didn’t want would happen. Credence was trustworthy, this creature was trustworthy. Nothing he didn’t want would happen today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he could get a little rougher? Be less concerned with his comfort?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the creature read his mind, he also brought two arms up to hold his upper body down onto the bed. Another pair forced his legs open uncomfortably and he thrust his cock against Percival's.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence, please," he begged. "Please, I want you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you ready?" Credence asked, despite the begging and pleading he'd been doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, please, so ready, please." He felt the head of Credence’s cock line up with his rim, pushing only the slightest bit in. It was so close, he was trying so hard not to move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally Credence pushed in, and Percival tipped his head back and let out the breath he’d been holding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, oh God, thank you so much," he mumbled, gripping the pillow behind him with white knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His instinct was to wrap his legs around Credence's waist and pull him closer, deeper, but he couldn’t. Credence was in control, and he wanted it that way, he just wasn’t used to being teased like this, denied what he wanted. This was like nothing he’d ever experienced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I put my legs around you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have a better idea," Credence replied, then lifted one of Percival's legs up over his shoulder. The other was guided around Credence's waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still didn’t thrust in, in fact Credence brought his dick up to rub against Percival's, squeezing them together with one hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence rested his temple against Percival's leg. He was grinning, open-mouthed, all his eyes lidded as he moaned and pressed kisses to the sweaty skin of his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival's eyes flicked down to look at his fangs, they were stunning, such a bright white and not too sharp to cut, but they looked like they’d feel good biting down on his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to bite you?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>, thank Hecate for this glorious gift.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, bite me, please, I want it," he begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence let Percival's leg drop and bent down. He ran his tongue up Percival's torso, over his nipple, and up to his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where no one can see?" the words were murmured into his ear, followed by a nip at his earlobe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, biting his lip when teeth nipped at his neck, low enough to hide with a shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, don’t do that." His lips trailed back up to Percival's ear. "I want to hear you. I need to know if I’m doing it right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence bit down on his collarbone, he let out a groan, which felt a little too loud, but he let it go anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, keep that up." A finger slid inside him, teasing his prostate as Credence's teeth sunk into the junction between his shoulder and neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, Credence, my </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Percival felt his legs shaking as the finger inside him rubbed hard on that perfect spot. He wanted to swear, but he also wanted to be good so very badly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are, Mister Graves," he whispered into Percival's ear while thrusting three fingers inside him. "You’re so good, you’re trying so hard."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, breathing raggedly. His arms were bent, hands in fists with their white knuckles pulled to his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’ve just denied yourself this, and you have to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>used</span>
  </em>
  <span> to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, yes, yes." He bit down on one of his knuckles at the feeling of a fourth and fifth finger slipping inside him, from a second hand, again perfectly lubricated. The creature was nothing if not considerate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence placed a chaste kiss on his temple, and Percival was immediately embarrassed when he realized how sweaty his face was. He angled his face away. "You are better at talking than I expected."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I imagined you saying those things to me. When I thought about how you'd touch me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to Credence to ask, "What else did you imagine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Making me suck your cock in the alley."Credence blushed a bit, but maintained eye contact. "Taking me home with you and stripping me, kissing me everywhere until I was hard and writhing, then using your hand on me. Letting me straddle your ribs and rub myself on you until I came on your chest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That last one was filthy in the best way. He might have to try something like that eventually. Maybe go find a handsome man at that music hall a few blocks away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But the best was imagining you holding me close as we laid on the bed together." Credence nuzzled his neck. "Burying your face in my hair as you took me from behind. You would tell me how beautiful and perfect you thought I was."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, you are beautiful and perfect, even though I’m not the one taking you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re beautiful, too, you know." Credence kissed down his face, pressing the last one to his chin. "That’s the first thing I thought when I saw you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival stretched his hands apart as much as he could, placing the tips of his fingers on Credence's chin so he could draw him into a kiss. He didn’t have any leverage, or even a way to pull Credence toward him with his arms bound, Credence allowed himself to be led.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This kiss was different, slow and chaste, with Credence's lips smiling into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here," Credence whispered when he pulled away. He ripped the spider silk binding, freeing Percival's hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, he ran his hands up into Credence's hair and kissed him again, this time drawing his tongue into his mouth. When they parted, he felt their saliva drip out of his mouth and down his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he replied through heaving breaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence laughed, then pushed inside without another word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, oh, Credence," Percival breathed, biting down hard on his lower lip. It had been so long since he had Credence's cock inside that it felt like the first time again. Credence slid all the way in and stayed there for a few seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he started moving, Percival's toes curled in the bedding. It was so hard to keep from wrapping his legs around Credence and moving against him, but he just bit on his lip and focused on the stiff feeling in his fingers from his hands being bound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Graves, you’re bleeding," Credence's voice was concerned, and one hand stroked over his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that it was pointed out, he tasted the copper of his own blood in his mouth. Credence leaned down, capturing his lips in a hungry kiss, lapping up his blood. It stung, and Credence bit down more to draw more blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he would have to heal his lip later, or live with a nasty bruise, but when Credence pulled away, his mouth smeared bright red, he couldn’t bother to care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence kissed him again, a little peck, then brought a thumb up to Percival's lip. He pulled it down, then released it, and Percival realized he'd healed the wound for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you." He felt like he'd said that a hundred times by now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You’re welcome," he whispered as he started thrusting, slow and deliberate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, yes, yes," Percival chanted, allowing his eyes to slide closed. This is what he'd been waiting for, for what felt like hours, and now that he had it, he knew it was worth the wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Credence sped up, he let out a ragged moan, reaching his hands up to grab at the pillows. He wrapped his legs around Credence's waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How am I doing, Mister Graves?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s perfect, Credence, you’re perfect. I love it, I love your cock." He was babbling now, but everything felt so right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Naughty language." Credence halfheartedly swatted at Percival's thigh. It wasn’t a warning, just a tease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence began to thrust slowly, more shallowly. "I have another chance for you to be good for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival nodded, eyes still closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you listening to me?" Credence pulled out entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flew open. "Yes, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m going to tell you when to come, and you’re going to do it," he replied with a smile, stroking Percival's thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can’t—" he was cut off by Credence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can try.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I really can’t do it," he tried to explain but was again interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to be a good boy for me?" Credence bit down on the skin over Percival's ribcage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he trailed off in a hiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then you’ll try." Credence rested his cheek on Percival's chest, softly nuzzling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, I will," Percival relented. "But what happens if I can’t?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ll punish you," he replied with a smile. One of Credence's hands went to cup his ass suggestively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The prospect of being spanked again was thrilling, but he wanted to obey so he just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good boy," Credence slapped his ass hard. "I’m going to count to five, you need to come when I say to, got it?" His lips just barely touched Percival's chest in a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir," he spoke meekly, unconvinced of his ability to do this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you ready?" Credence asked. "Take your time, if you need it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ready as I’ll ever be," Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"One," Credence counted, sitting up on his knees so he could look down at Percival. Two pairs of arms forcefully pulled Percival down the bed, up into Credence's lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned loudly at the feeling of his cock hitting home so perfectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two." He rolled his hips sensually, grinding right over Percival's prostate. "Three." Now he finally touched Percival's cock, stroking it, running his thumb right over the tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival wasn’t expecting it. He threw one of his hands above his head, knocking it against the headboard, and let out an embarrassingly high-pitched, "Oh fuck!" He quickly added, "Sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ll let that go, since I did surprise you," Credence replied, humor in his voice..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," Percival muttered, then corrected, "I mean, thank you, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome." Credence used another hand to rub his nipple, gently pulling on it when he said, "four."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival started shaking his head. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t come on cue. He bit his lip, feeling like a wave was just above him, about to crash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to stop?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shook his head again. "Don’t want to disappoint you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can do it," his voice was gentle, encouraging. "I know you won’t disappoint me, my sweet boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to focus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Five, are you ready?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival could only nod as Credence's hand sped up on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Percival, come for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squeezed his eyes shut as his orgasm tore through him. Had it </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> felt this good?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival shuddered at the oversensitivity, feeling the cock inside him shift deeper as Credence leaned over him. Lips pressed to his temple, moving to whisper in his ear, "good job, I'm so proud of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he whispered weakly, feeling his chest heave with his deep breaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look beautiful like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence kissed him before he could respond, sliding their tongues together slowly. When he pulled away, he moved to sit up, but Percival wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't pull out, please," he pleaded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Credence leaned back over Percival and stroked his face, "I thought you would be sensitive."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I still want it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It?" the creature asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to come inside me," Percival replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled, kissing Percival's jaw. "Dirty boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I do something for you?" Percival asked. "What do you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not picky." He shrugged a bit, then kissed him on the lips again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You made me say mine," he argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned in close, whispering in Percival's ear, "I enjoy pleasing my partners, putting you first is the whole point for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've done so much for me, though, is there a position you like?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like this." He smiled, bringing a hand up to touch Percival's cheek. "I like seeing your face." The creature started moving again, rocking in and out slowly. His hand moved down to rest on Percival's chest</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival felt weird being the only one getting exactly what he wanted. He really wanted to do something nice for the creature. Maybe he'd enjoy some more dirty talk? He was pretty good at it, that must be from experience, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You feel so good in me," he began, carefully watching his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature smiled a little, sitting up straight. He kept his hand on Percival's chest as he thrusted in and out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I call you baby?" Percival asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His rhythm stuttered a bit at that, but he kept going. "I'd prefer you didn't."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to call you </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Percival </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't want me to be Credence anymore?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not Credence right now. What's your name?" he pushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought for a bit, then replied, "you can call me dear, then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, dear," Percival purred, running a hand over the creature's chest. "You don't have to be gentle, I want you to enjoy this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I am. This is a great view." He punctuated those words by running his unoccupied hands over Percival's sides and up to his collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mine isn't so bad either," Percival's words came out breathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature stopped to reposition Percival's legs, putting them both over his shoulders to get a deeper angle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned, moving in time with the creature's thrusts. "You can fuck me harder," he paused to let out a gasp. "Come on. Use me. I want your cock."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature kissed him roughly, desperately. It was messy, unrefined, but undeniably amazing. Their tongues tangled together, the creature moaning into Percival's mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he was hitting the right button for sure. Percival couldn't help but feel a bit smug about that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You fuck me so well, give me exactly what I need. Nobody's ever fucked me like this," he paused to groan quietly after the creature pulled out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nobody?" he asked, a disbelieving smirk on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have hangups about sex, remember?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature thrust back in, with long, slow strokes in and out. One pair of hands clutched his hips</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival moaned loudly, shifting his hips down. "So good, that's so good, I love your dick."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," the creature muttered. He closed his eyes, brows furrowed and panted a little as he thrusted deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please fuck me harder," Percival begged. "Come on, I can take it. You fingered me for at least half an hour."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're </span>
  <em>
    <span>killing</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, Percival," he laughed a little, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival chuckled, "too much? I can stop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you dare," he replied gruffly, leaning in for another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Want me to tell you more?" he asked into the creature's lips. "Like how tomorrow I'll think about you and feel empty? How I'll remember this and have to touch myself thinking of how good your cock feels?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature let out a strangled sound, burying his face in Percival's neck. He pushed deeper, moving his hips in small thrusts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, come inside me, I need it. Need to feel you," Percival panted in time with the thrusts. "Let it out, dear."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the creature pant against his neck, keening loudly. "Fuck, Percival, fuck," he whispered as he came. Again, there was so much cum. He felt it spill out around the creature's cock, dripping as he pulled out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you have that much of it still?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he looked at the man, he saw Credence grabbing the towel he'd used on his face and wiping up the cum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," he replied quietly, suddenly struck by the feeling that his mind was clearer than it had been in a long time. He sat up, leaning against the headboard, enjoying the weight of calm in his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to clean up my messes." The creature was out of character again, just being himself, but he was casual, like this was a normal situation. How was he so calm? He even laughed as he spoke, "well, as much as I can. You’re going to have to clean up properly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," he found himself answering. Now he couldn't help but think about how much he wanted a bath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me draw that for you." The creature smiled and got up, stopping to rub Percival's shoulder softly. "I really put you through the ringer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," he replied flatly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before going to the bathroom, the creature stopped to tidy up, picking up their clothes from the floor. He didn't tie his robe back on, just slipped it over his arms and draped the tie around his neck like an untied tie. Percival's clean clothes were set on the bed, his dirty shirt tossed into the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't enter the bathroom right away, though. The creature came back to the bed, ruffling Percival's hair affectionately. He used a hand to tip Percival's head up by his chin and kissed Percival again, softly. "Be right back."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival laid down, listening to the tap running. It felt peaceful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bath is ready," the creature called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival got up, feeling his knees protest. He hadn’t even noticed while he was kneeling, but now that he wasn’t distracted by his arousal, it was painful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature came back out of the bathroom. He grabbed Percival’s hands and led him to the bathroom. The tub was full of warm water, steaming in the chill of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your shirt is soaking in the sink," the creature said. "If it was bigger, I'd put the comforter in. I'll have to use magic on that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Leave it, I'll deal with it after my bath," Percival replied. He moved to climb into the tub, but the creature held his hand fast, intent on helping him in. Percival felt too relaxed to argue, just let him hold his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like me to bathe you?" he asked once he let Percival's hand go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" Percival stepped into the bath, feeling his skin tingle from the hot water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It’s nice, sometimes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked over to find him balanced with one knee on the edge of the tub. "Do you want to? Is that something you're into?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm offering because what we did was intense and I want to take care of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m fine." He sunk deeper, and curled up a bit so he could get his whole body in the tub. He missed the big tub in his bathroom at home, where he could lay down all the way without his feet touching the other end. "Why are you acting this way?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What way?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like what we just did wasn't…" He traced patterns in the water, listening to it splash. "Strange, and probably fucked up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're still overthinking, I see." He paused to chuckle. "I wish I could just stay here and fuck you until you don't, but I think that would take a while."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely after I'm out of house arrest. Maybe not until after I die." He moved lower into the tub, letting the water rise to his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will definitely need a few food breaks in there then," the creature chuckled, and Percival felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "But I can stay for another round, if you want. I can wait outside while you bathe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m definitely done for the night. You should go home, I’m sure you have more important things to do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m here to take care of you." The creature sat down on the lip of the tub. "If you need anything from me, just tell me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m really alright, thank you for everything. Not just the sex, this too. And talking to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No trouble at all. Was everything satisfactory?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely." Percival assured as he tipped his head back to get his hair wet. "I’m actually not sure I’ll be able to enjoy sex with someone with only two arms now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature laughed. "Well, now you know how to reach me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he joking?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival didn’t know, so he joked back, "are you saying I have to call her every time I want a good lay? Because those offerings were pricey."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, you’ll probably see me before then." He paused and patted Percival's arm. "I’ll be around."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For business or pleasure?" Percival continued his blasé joking, mostly because he felt he had committed to it at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I live here," he answered, then added. "Well, Chelsea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percival looked back up to the creature, and said, "if I’m going to see you around, then maybe I should learn your actual name."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t want to keep calling me Credence?" He made a fake sad face and tilted his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m assuming you’re not going to look like Credence next time?" Percival purposely phrased it as a question, wanting to know the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won’t, but you’ll still know who I am." He finally winked, and it was a wave of all of his eyes closing and reopening one after another, like a deck of cards being shuffled. "I’ll make sure of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I appreciate that." Percival found himself smiling, and unsuccessfully tried to hide it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And my name is Katsumi." He dipped his head and ran a hand up Percival's arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Katsumi," he repeated. "Nice to meet you." He held out his hand for a shake, which Katsumi looked at for a second before shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice to meet you too," he ducked his head a bit before standing back up. "I'll leave you now. Would you like me to turn on the radio?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure," Percival dipped his head under, and when he came back out, he heard soft jazz from the next room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Katsumi?" he called out nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few moments of silence, he leaned back against the edge of the tub and whispered, "holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me on Twitter @knifecollarart. If I have some weird grammar or a misspelling, let me know!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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